Which of the following statements about the standard error of the mean is CORRECT?
- A It equals the sample standard deviation divided by the square root of the sample size ✓
- B It increases as the sample size increases
- C It measures the spread of individual observations around the mean
- D It equals the variance of the sample
Correct answer: A. It equals the sample standard deviation divided by the square root of the sample size
Explanation
The standard error of the mean is defined as SD divided by the square root of n, and it describes the precision of the sample mean as an estimate of the population mean. Option B is wrong because increasing sample size reduces the SEM, and option C describes the standard deviation itself, which reflects scatter of individual values rather than uncertainty of the mean.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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