The mean of a sample:
A)cannot exceed the variance of the data set
B)cannot exceed the standard deviation of the data set
C)is determined by adding up all of the values and dividing by the number of observations
D)is determined by adding up all of the values and dividing by the number of observations minus 1.
E)will be equal to the median

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mean of a sample is calculated by summing all the values in the sample and then dividing by the number of observations in the sample. This is accurately described in option C. Options A and B are incorrect because the mean can exceed both the variance and the standard deviation, depending on the data set. Option D describes a method similar to calculating an unbiased estimate of a population variance from a sample, not the mean. Option E is incorrect because the mean and median are different measures of central tendency and are not necessarily equal.

The Mean of a Sample