Question

Suppose a sample of 45 measurements gave a data set with a range of –8 to –22. The standard deviation of the measurements

a. cannot be computed since all the numbers are negative.

b. is negative since all the numbers are negative.

c. can be either negative or positive.

d. must be at least zero.

Answer 1

Given the sample of 45 measurements gave a data set with range of -8 to -22.

The standard deviation of the measurements:

d) Must be at least zero.

Since the standard deviation of the data is always non negative irrespective the individual value of the measurements. Though the range of the measurements are negative but the standard deviation of the measurements is non negative. Therefore minimum possible value of the standard deviation of measurements is 0.

Hence correct choice is

d.