Concept:
The variance of a data set is given by
\[
\sigma^2=\frac{\sum x_i^2}{n}-\left(\frac{\sum x_i}{n}\right)^2.
\]
That is,
\[
\text{Variance}
=
\text{Mean of squares}
-
(\text{Mean})^2.
\]
Step 1: Find the mean of the data.
Given data:
\[
4,\;7,\;8,\;10,\;13,\;16,\;19
\]
Number of observations:
\[
n=7.
\]
Sum of observations:
\[
\sum x
=
4+7+8+10+13+16+19
=
77.
\]
Therefore,
\[
\bar{x}
=
\frac{77}{7}
=
11.
\]
Step 2: Find the sum of squares.
\[
\sum x^2
=
4^2+7^2+8^2+10^2+13^2+16^2+19^2.
\]
\[
=
16+49+64+100+169+256+361.
\]
\[
=
1015.
\]
Hence,
\[
\frac{\sum x^2}{n}
=
\frac{1015}{7}
=
145.
\]
Step 3: Calculate the variance.
Using
\[
\sigma^2
=
\frac{\sum x^2}{n}
-
\bar{x}^{\,2},
\]
we get
\[
\sigma^2
=
145-11^2.
\]
\[
=
145-121.
\]
\[
=
24.
\]
Step 4: Write the final answer.
\[
\boxed{24}
\]