Please give me an EXAMPLE that illustrates why it is important to know the standard deviation of a distribution as well as the mean.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Knowing that the average amount of rainfall in California over the last 10 years is 40 inches per year may be misleading. Do we get about 40 inches of rain in CA every year (small s.d.)? Or do we get 10 inches some years and 100 inches others (large s.d.). If your health or business depend on reliable amounts of rain (e.g., farmers), you'd want to know the s.d. in addition to the mean.

Please Give Me an EXAMPLE That Illustrates Why It Is