Question

A golfer recorded the following scores for each of four rounds of golf: 86, 81, 87, 82. The mean of the scores is 84. What is the sum of the squared deviations of the scores from the mean?

Answer 1

26

Explanation:

Subtract the mean (84) from each of the four scores, obtaining

2, -3, 3, - 2

These are the "deviations."

Next, square each of these four deviations, obtaining

(2)^2 = 4, and:

(-3)^2 = 9, and:

(3)^2 = 9, and:

(-2)^2 = 4

Then the sum of the squared deviations of the scores from the mean is 26.