SOLUTION: Find the variance 26,34,17,24,24

2 ways.  By TI-83 or 84, and by hand

On your TI-83 or 84,

Press STAT
Press ENTER
Press ENTER 

(put in data in L1)
26 ENTER 34 ENTER 17 ENTER 24 ENTER 24 ENTER

Press STAT
Press right arrow to highlight CALC

Press ENTER once or several times (depending on your calculator)
until you see this screen:

x=25
Sx=125
Sx²=3273
Sx=6.08276253
sx=5.440588203
n=5

Copy the value for Sx which is 6.08276253 and square it.

Get 37

That's the variance.

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By hand:

Calculate 26+34+17+24+24, get 125
Divide by 5, the number of numbers, get 25
Subtract 25 from each of the numbers, get

1,9,-8,-1,-1

Square those

1,81,64,1,1

Add them

1+81+64+1+1, get 148

Divide by 4, which is 1 less than the number
of numbers. 148÷4 get 37.

Edwin