Coefficient of Variation

A measure of the consistency of data, identifying the extent of variation that exists between the data, with a high coefficient of variation (CV) meaning that there is a large variability and less uniformity amongst the data.

It is the ratio of the standard deviation (SD) to the mean and is often expressed as a percentage: CV = (SD ÷ Mean) x 100 (this approach is also called the relative standard deviation). Alternatively, it may be used to express the numeric variation between data: CV = SD ÷ Mean.

This measure might be used to compare, and contrast assessments made on turfgrass surfaces using data gathered for performance standards, or for assessing the uniformity of spread by a fertiliser or grass seed distributor.