What must be done after summing the squares in the standard deviation calculation?

The correct process after summing the squares in the standard deviation calculation involves dividing that sum by the number of observations (n). This step is essential as it provides the variance, which is the average of the squared differences from the mean. By dividing by n, you're normalizing the summed squares, allowing for a meaningful interpretation of the variability in your data set.

It's important to note that the computation may differ slightly depending on whether you are calculating the population standard deviation or sample standard deviation. For the population standard deviation, you divide by n directly. However, if calculating the sample standard deviation, the sum of the squares is divided by (n-1) to account for the degree of freedom.

This division is crucial in ensuring that the final standard deviation is an accurate reflection of the data's dispersion, providing insight into the data set's variability relative to its mean. The way you've approached this question by selecting the division ensures a fundamental understanding of how variance and standard deviation are derived from raw data.