Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sample (n−1) and population (n) standard deviation?
Use n when your data is the entire population. Use n−1 (Bessel's correction) when it is a sample, to give an unbiased estimate of the population variance.
What does standard deviation actually mean?
It measures the typical distance of values from the mean. About 68% of normal data falls within ±1σ and 95% within ±2σ - the empirical rule.
How is variance related to standard deviation?
Variance is the average squared deviation; standard deviation is its square root. Standard deviation is in the same units as the data, which is why it is more intuitive.
Can standard deviation be negative?
No. Because deviations are squared, the sum is non-negative, so the square root is always ≥ 0. A standard deviation of 0 means all values are identical.
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