The sample variance s² is an unbiased estimator of the population variance $? ^ { 2 }$
when the denominator of s² is:

Question

The sample variance s² is an unbiased estimator of the population variance $? ^ { 2 }$ when the denominator of s² is: A) n + 2. B) n + 1. C) n. D) n - 1.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The denominator for the sample variance formula should be n - 1 when calculating an unbiased estimator of the population variance. This is known as Bessel's correction, which adjusts for the fact that using n in the denominator would underestimate the variability in the population. Therefore, the correct choice is (D) n - 1.

The Sample Variance S 2 Is an Unbiased Estimator of the Population

The Sample Variance S² Is an Unbiased Estimator of the Population