Standard deviation of $$$1$$$, $$$3$$$, $$$6$$$, $$$5$$$, $$$8$$$
Your Input
Find the sample standard deviation of $$$1$$$, $$$3$$$, $$$6$$$, $$$5$$$, $$$8$$$.
Solution
The sample standard deviation of data is given by the formula $$$s = \sqrt{\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} \left(x_{i} - \mu\right)^{2}}{n - 1}}$$$, where $$$n$$$ is the number of values, $$$x_i, i=\overline{1..n}$$$ are the values themselves, and $$$\mu$$$ is the mean of the values.
Actually, it is the square root of variance.
The mean of the data is $$$\mu = \frac{23}{5}$$$ (for calculating it, see mean calculator).
Since we have $$$n$$$ points, $$$n = 5$$$.
The sum of $$$\left(x_{i} - \mu\right)^{2}$$$ is $$$\left(1 - \frac{23}{5}\right)^{2} + \left(3 - \frac{23}{5}\right)^{2} + \left(6 - \frac{23}{5}\right)^{2} + \left(5 - \frac{23}{5}\right)^{2} + \left(8 - \frac{23}{5}\right)^{2} = \frac{146}{5}$$$.
Thus, $$$\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} \left(x_{i} - \mu\right)^{2}}{n - 1} = \frac{\frac{146}{5}}{4} = \frac{73}{10}$$$.
Finally, $$$s = \sqrt{\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} \left(x_{i} - \mu\right)^{2}}{n - 1}} = \sqrt{\frac{73}{10}} = \frac{\sqrt{730}}{10}$$$.
Answer
The sample standard deviation is $$$s = \frac{\sqrt{730}}{10}\approx 2.701851217221259$$$A.