The sum of the squared differences of scores from their mean is
A) minimal.
B) zero.
C) negative.
D) negligible.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sum of the squared differences of scores from their mean is minimal because squaring the differences eliminates negative values and emphasizes larger differences, making the sum as small as possible given the distribution of the scores. This property is fundamental in statistics, particularly in variance and standard deviation calculations, where it ensures that the measure of dispersion is based on the smallest possible sum of squared deviations from the mean.

The Sum of the Squared Differences of Scores from Their