What is 'Standard Deviation'?

The standard deviation is a statistic that measures the dispersion of a dataset relative to its mean and is calculated as the square root of the variance. It is calculated as the square root of variance by determining the variation between each data point relative to the mean. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Term of the Day | Words to Know Standard Deviation The standard deviation is a statistic that measures the dispersion of a dataset relative to its mean and is calculated as the square root of the variance. It is calculated as the square root of variance by determining the variation between each data point relative to the mean. If the data points are further from the mean, there is a higher deviation within the data set; thus, the more spread out the data, the higher the standard deviation. Standard deviation is a statistical measurement in finance that, when applied to the annual rate of return of an investment, sheds light on the historical volatility of that investment. The greater the standard deviation of securities, the greater the variance between each price and the mean, which shows a larger price range. For example, a volatile stock has a high standard deviation, while the deviation of a stable blue-chip stock is usually rather low. Read More » Related to "Standard Deviation" Standard Deviation vs. Variance: What's the Difference? The basic mathematical concepts of standard deviation and variance are both useful to investors. Calculating the former means using the latter. Read More » Z-Score vs. Standard Deviation: What's the Difference? Understand the basics of standard deviation and Z-score, and learn how each is calculated and used in the assessment of market volatility. Read More » How Is Standard Deviation Used to Determine Risk? Learn the basics of calculating and interpreting standard deviation, and how it is used to measure and determine risk in the investment industry. Read More » SPONSORED BY FIDELITY INVESTMENTS Putting Your People Skills to Work Do you thrive on helping people? Financial services has an array of roles that could be a great fit. Here's why being a people person is perfect for a job in finance. Learn More » Related Definitions Variance Variance is a measurement of the spread between numbers in a data set. Investors use the variance equation to evaluate a portfolio's asset allocation. Read More » Mean The simple mathematical average of a set of two or more numbers. The mean for a given set of numbers can be computed with the arithmetic mean method, which uses the sum of the numbers in the series, and the geometric mean method. Read More » Normal Distribution Normal distribution is a continuous probability distribution wherein values lie in a symmetrical fashion mostly situated around the mean. Read More » Z-Score A Z-Score is defined as a statistical measurement of a score's relationship to the mean in a group of scores. Read More » CONNECT WITH INVESTOPEDIA Email sent to: mondemand.forex@blogger.com To update your newsletter preferences or unsubscribe, click here. 114 West 41st St, floor 8 New York NY 10036 © 2020, Investopedia, LLC, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy