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A measure of spread for a distribution of a sample of numerical values that determines the degree to which the values differ from the sample mean.
It is calculated by taking the square root of the average of the squares of the deviations of the values from their sample mean.
It is recommended that a calculator or software is used to calculate the sample standard deviation.
The square of the sample standard deviation is equal to the sample variance.
A common symbol for the sample standard deviation is s.
The sample standard deviation is a (sample) statistic and is therefore an estimate of the population standard deviation.
See: measure of spread, sample variance, standard deviation
Curriculum achievement objectives references
Statistical investigation: Levels (6), (7), (8)
