Variance tensorization ($\mathrm{Var}(Z)\le {\sum }_i\mathbb{E}[\mathrm{Var}(Z\mid X_{-i})]$)

Write $X_{-i}$ for all inputs except $X_i$. Under the Efron–Stein inequality hypotheses, variance tensorization is the equivalent conditional variance formConditioning freezes the other inputs. Then $Z,Z_i^{\prime }$ are independent with the same conditional probability distribution, givingTaking expected values explains the factor $1/2$.^[ref]

For Bernoulli input $X_i$ with parameter $p_i$, let ${\Delta }_{i}f$ be the value of $f$ with coordinate $i$ set to one minus its value with that coordinate set to zero, keeping $X_{-i}$ fixed. The two-point conditional variance isFor the maximum example, ${\Delta }_{1}f=1-X_2$ and ${\Delta }_{2}f=1-X_1$. The two averaged conditional variances are $0.3(0.7)(0.4)=0.084$ and $0.6(0.4)(0.7)=0.168$, precisely half the respective resampling terms. In the dependent example $X_1=X_2=B$, each other coordinate already determines $W$, so both conditional variances vanish; variance tensorization also fails without independence.

For a short induction proof, separate the last input using the law of total variance. Apply the smaller-dimensional statement to the conditional expectation; Jensen's inequality for the square bounds its coordinate contributions by the original ones. One input gives equality, starting the induction.^[ref]