Standard Deviation

Two classes took a

recent quiz. There
were 10 students in
each class, and each
class had an average
score of 81.5
Since the averages are
the same, can we
assume that the students
in both classes all did
pretty much the same on
the exam?
The answer is… No.

The average (mean)

does not tell us anything
about the distribution or
variation in the scores.
Here are Dot-Plots of the
grades in each class:
Mean
So, we need to come up
with some way of
measuring not just the
average, but also the
spread of the distribution
of our data.
The Standard Deviation
is a number that
measures how far away
each number in a set of
data is from their mean.
 If the Standard Deviation is
large, it means the numbers
are spread out from their
mean.

If the Standard Deviation is

small,
small, it means the numbers
are close to their mean.
 Here are
72
the scores
76
on the 80
math quiz 80
for Team 81 Average:
83
A: 84
81.5
85
85
89
The Standard Deviation measures how far away each
number in a set of data is from their mean.
For example, start with the lowest score, 72. How far
away is 72 from the mean of 81.5?
72 - 81.5 = - 9.5

- 9.5
Or, start with the lowest score, 89. How far away is 89
from the mean of 81.5?
89 - 81.5 = 7.5

- 9.5 7.5
 Distance
from
So, the Mean

first step to 72 -9.5

finding the 76
Standard 80
Deviation 80
81
is to find
83
all the
84
distances
85
from the
85
mean. 89 7.5
 Distance
from
So, the Mean

first step to 72 - 9.5

finding the 76 - 5.5
Standard 80 - 1.5
Deviation 80 - 1.5
81 - 0.5
is to find
83 1.5
all the
84 2.5
distances
85 3.5
from the
85 3.5
mean. 89 7.5
 Distance
Next, you from
Mean
Distances
Squared
need to 72 - 9.5 90.25
square 76 - 5.5 30.25
each of 80 - 1.5
the 80 - 1.5
distances 81 - 0.5
to turn 83 1.5
them all 84 2.5
into 85 3.5
positive 85 3.5
numbers 89 7.5
 Distance
Next, you from
Mean
Distances
Squared
need to 72 - 9.5 90.25
square 76 - 5.5 30.25
each of 80 - 1.5 2.25
the 80 - 1.5 2.25
distances 81 - 0.5 0.25
to turn 83 1.5 2.25
them all 84 2.5 6.25
into 85 3.5 12.25
positive 85 3.5 12.25
numbers 89 7.5 56.25
 Distance
from Distances
Mean Squared

72 - 9.5 90.25
76 - 5.5 30.25 Sum:
80 - 1.5 2.25 214.5
Add up all 80 - 1.5 2.25
of the 81 - 0.5 0.25
distances 83 1.5 2.25
84 2.5 6.25
85 3.5 12.25
85 3.5 12.25
89 7.5 56.25
 Distance
from Distances
Mean Squared

72 - 9.5 90.25
76 - 5.5 30.25
Divide by (n Sum:
80 - 1.5 2.25 214.5
- 1) where n
represents 80 - 1.5 2.25 (10 - 1)

the amount 81 - 0.5 0.25

= 23.8
of numbers 83 1.5 2.25
you have. 84 2.5 6.25
85 3.5 12.25
85 3.5 12.25
89 7.5 56.25
 Distance
from Distances
Mean Squared

72 - 9.5 90.25
Finally, 76 - 5.5 30.25 Sum:
take the 80 - 1.5 2.25 214.5

Square 80 - 1.5 2.25 (10 - 1)

81 - 0.5 0.25
Root of the = 23.8
83 1.5 2.25
average = 4.88
84 2.5 6.25
distance
85 3.5 12.25
85 3.5 12.25
89 7.5 56.25
 Distance
from Distances
Mean Squared

72 - 9.5 90.25
76 - 5.5 30.25 Sum:
80 - 1.5 2.25 214.5
This is the 80 - 1.5 2.25 (10 - 1)
Standard 81 - 0.5 0.25
= 23.8
Deviation 83 1.5 2.25
= 4.88
84 2.5 6.25
85 3.5 12.25
85 3.5 12.25
89 7.5 56.25
 Distance
from Distances
Mean Squared

57 - 24.5 600.25
Now find 65 - 16.5 272.25 Sum:
the 83 1.5 2.25 2280.5
Standard 94 12.5 156.25 (10 - 1)
Deviation 95 13.5 182.25
= 253.4
for the 96 14.5 210.25
= 15.91
other class 98 16.5 272.25
grades 93 11.5 132.25
71 - 10.5 110.25
63 -18.5 342.25
 Now, lets compare the two
classes again

Team A Team B

Average on
the Quiz 81.5 81.5
Standard
Deviation 4.88 15.91
IN PRODUCT MANUFACTURING AND QUALITY CONTROL

A particular type of car part that has to be 2 centimeters in

diameter to fit properly had better not have a very big standard
deviation during the manufacturing process.
A big standard deviation in this case would mean that lots of
parts end up in the trash because they don’t fit right.
Outliers affect the standard deviation

example:
the salaries of the L.A. Lakers in the 2009–2010 season
range from the highest, $23,034,375 (Kobe Bryant)
down to $959,111 (Didier Ilunga-Mbenga and Josh
Powell). Lots of variation, to be sure! The standard
deviation of the salaries for this team turns out to be
$6,567,405; it’s almost as large as the average.
However, as you may guess, if you remove Kobe
Bryant’s salary from the data set, the standard deviation
decreases because the remaining salaries are more
concentrated around the mean. The standard deviation
becomes $4,671,508.