What is the standard deviation of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5?

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Answer 1 · 2017-05-14T01:31:14

#sqrt(2)# or about #1.414#

There are two ways to solve this, the graphing calculator way or the long way:

Graphing calculator way:

Plug the numbers into #L1#. Then go 1 variable stats and plug in #L1#. Standard deviation is #sigmax#

Long way:

Find the mean by adding all the values together and dividing by the number of elements there are:

#(1+2+3+4+5)/5=3#

Take all the values and subtract the mean from them. Then square all the values:

#(1-3)^2=4#
#(2-3)^2=1#
#(3-3)^2=0#
#(4-3)^2=1#
#(5-3)^2=4#

Find the mean of these values:

#(4+1+0+1+4)/5=2#

Square root this:

#sqrt2~~1.414#