Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Mathematics Practice Exam

What does the standard deviation symbol 'σ' represent?

1. Sample Standard Deviation

2. Population Standard Deviation

3. Mean of the Sample

4. Mean of the Population

The correct answer is: Population Standard Deviation

The symbol 'σ' specifically represents the population standard deviation in statistics. It is used to denote the measure of the dispersion or spread of a set of values in a population. The population standard deviation is calculated using all the data points in the entire population, which provides an understanding of how individual data points deviate from the population mean. In contrast, the sample standard deviation is represented by the symbol 's', and it is calculated from a subset of the population. The mean of the sample and the mean of the population are denoted by 'x̄' and 'μ', respectively. Knowing this distinction is crucial for accurately interpreting statistical data and conducting analyses, especially in research involving various sample sizes and populations.