Step 1 :Sort the data in ascending order: 78, 79, 106, 108, 174, 180, 194, 278
Step 2 :Calculate the range by subtracting the smallest value from the largest value: 278 - 78 = \(\boxed{200}\)
Step 3 :Calculate the variance, which is the average squared deviation of each number from the mean of the data set: \(\boxed{4215}\)
Step 4 :Calculate the standard deviation, which is the square root of the variance: \(\boxed{65}\)
Step 5 :The range of the data is \(\boxed{200}\), which means that the prices for one night at different hotels in the region vary by $200
Step 6 :The variance of the data is approximately \(\boxed{4215}\) and the standard deviation is approximately \(\boxed{65}\), which means that the prices for one night at different hotels in the region vary by about $65 from the mean price
Step 7 :These measures of variation can be useful for someone searching for a room because they provide information about the spread of the prices. A high variance and standard deviation indicate a wide spread of prices, which could mean that there are both very cheap and very expensive options available. A low variance and standard deviation indicate a narrow spread of prices, which could mean that most of the options are around the same price