Which symbol denotes the mean of a population variable?

Which symbol denotes the mean of a population variable?

• A. x̄
• B. μ
• C. N
• D. Σ

Answer: (B)

The mean of a population variable is denoted by the Greek letter μ. In statistics, population parameters use Greek letters, while sample statistics use other symbols. The population mean μ is the long-run average across every member of the population, often written as μ = E[X] for a population random variable X. In contrast, the sample mean is x̄, calculated from observed data as the average of the sample values. The symbol N represents the population size, and Σ is the summation operator used to add up values, but it does not itself denote a mean. So μ is the standard symbol for the population mean.

The mean of a population variable is denoted by the Greek letter μ. In statistics, population parameters use Greek letters, while sample statistics use other symbols. The population mean μ is the long-run average across every member of the population, often written as μ = E[X] for a population random variable X. In contrast, the sample mean is x̄, calculated from observed data as the average of the sample values. The symbol N represents the population size, and Σ is the summation operator used to add up values, but it does not itself denote a mean. So μ is the standard symbol for the population mean.