The value of the sum of the deviations from the mean, i.e., must always be
A)less than the zero
B)negative
C)either positive or negative depending on whether the mean is negative or positive
D)zero

Question

The value of the sum of the deviations from the mean, i.e.,  must always be
A)less than the zero 
B)negative 
C)either positive or negative depending on whether the mean is negative or positive 
D)zero

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sum of the deviations from the mean must always be zero, as it is a fundamental principle in statistics. This is because the mean is defined as the sum of all the values divided by the number of values, and the deviations from the mean are simply the differences between each value and the mean. Therefore, the positive deviations cancel out the negative deviations, resulting in a sum of zero.

The Value of the Sum of the Deviations from the Mean