Sign In
What are the four steps when finding the standard deviation?
sqrt(140.5) ≈ 11.9
There are four steps to follow when finding the standard deviation of a set of data.
Let's start by finding the mean, or average, of the data set from the exercise.
Substitute values
Add terms
Calculate quotient
Round to 1 decimal place(s)
The mean is approximately 137.2. Now, we can find the deviation from the mean for each value and square it. Let's use a table to organize the information.
| Data Value | Deviation from Mean | Squared Deviation |
|---|---|---|
| 125 | 125-137.2= -12.2 | ( -12.2)^2 = 148.84 |
| 136 | 136-137.2= -1.2 | ( -1.2)^2=1.44 |
| 150 | 150-137.2= 12.8 | ( 12.8)^2=163.84 |
| 119 | 119-137.2= -18.2 | ( -18.2)^2 = 331.24 |
| 150 | 150-137.2= 12.8 | ( 12.8)^2=163.84 |
| 143 | 143-137.2= 5.8 | ( 5.8)^2=33.64 |
Next, we can find the mean of the squared deviations.
Add terms
Use a calculator
Round to 1 decimal place(s)
The final step is to find the square root of the mean of the squared deviations. sqrt(140.5) ≈ 11.9 The standard deviation of the data is approximately 11.9.