What is the first step in calculating the standard deviation of a set of values?

The first step in calculating the standard deviation of a set of values is to find the mean of the values. The mean, or average, provides a central point around which the data can be assessed. It serves as the basis for the subsequent calculations, as standard deviation measures the dispersion of the data points from this average.

Once the mean is determined, the next steps typically involve subtracting the mean from each individual data point to find the deviations, squaring those deviations to eliminate negative values, and then calculating the average of those squared deviations to ultimately arrive at the standard deviation. This sequential process underscores the importance of establishing the mean first, as it provides a reference point for understanding how spread out the values are in relation to it.