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First, we compute the variance by taking the sum of squares and divide that by N which is the number of data points in the same. It is average squared deviation of each number from its mean. The point is a squared number is always positive and N is always positive so the variance must always be non-negative. ( It can be 0).

The variance is a measure of the dispersion of a set of data points around their mean value.

It would not make sense for it to be negative.

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Q: Can the variance be a negative number?
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