Which statement is true about standard deviation?

The correct statement about standard deviation is that it indicates how scores are spread around the mean. Standard deviation is a statistical measure that quantifies the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of data points. When we calculate the standard deviation, we assess how far each data point tends to deviate from the mean of the dataset. A larger standard deviation means the data points are spread out over a wider range of values, while a smaller standard deviation indicates that the values tend to be closer to the mean.

This measure is particularly useful in understanding the relationship between the mean and the data values, providing insight into the overall distribution of the data. Therefore, this statement accurately captures the essence of what standard deviation represents in statistics.

In contrast, the other statements do not accurately describe standard deviation. For instance, standard deviation is not a measure of center; that role is fulfilled by the mean, median, or mode. While it does tend to be a positive number or zero (since it cannot be negative), this does not capture its function in describing data spread. Additionally, standard deviation does not guarantee normal distribution of data; it can apply to any distribution shape, making that assertion incorrect.