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When researchers compute the standard deviation of a sample to estimate the variability of a larger population, they divide the sum of squared differences by $$N - 1$$ rather than by $$N$$. Because a sample's standard deviation naturally tends to underestimate the true standard deviation of the population, applying this $$N - 1$$ correction provides a more accurate estimate.

Estimating Population Standard Deviation

When computing the standard deviation of a sample to estimate the variability of a larger population, what mathematical correction do researchers apply to the calculation?

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