What is the coefficient of variation for glucose with a mean of 76 mg/dL and a standard deviation of 2.3?

To determine the coefficient of variation (CV) for glucose, you use the formula:

[ \text{CV} = \left( \frac{\text{Standard Deviation}}{\text{Mean}} \right) \times 100 ]

In this case, the mean glucose level is 76 mg/dL, and the standard deviation is 2.3 mg/dL. Plugging these values into the formula gives:

[ \text{CV} = \left( \frac{2.3}{76} \right) \times 100 ]

Calculating this step-by-step:

1. First, divide the standard deviation by the mean:

[ \frac{2.3}{76} \approx 0.03026 ]

2. Next, multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage:

[ 0.03026 \times 100 \approx 3.03% ]

When rounded, this results in a coefficient of variation of approximately 3.0%.

The coefficient of variation is an important statistic as it provides a measure of relative variability, which is particularly useful in comparing the degree of variation from one dataset to another or when analyzing different parameters within the