Which statement about the standard error of the mean is correct?

• A It is unaffected by the spread of the original data
• B It increases as the sample size increases
• C It measures the variability of individual observations around their mean
• D It equals the standard deviation divided by the square root of the sample size ✓

Explanation

The standard error of the mean equals SD divided by the square root of n and quantifies the precision of the sample mean as an estimate of the population mean. It decreases as n increases, ruling out option B, and shrinks when the underlying data are less dispersed, ruling out option A. Option C describes the standard deviation itself, a distractor students frequently confuse with the standard error.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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