Question

Complete the statement: Almost all the observations in any data set lie within _______standard deviations to either side of the mean.

Short answer

Almost all the observations in any data set lie within three standard deviations to either side of the mean.

Step-by-step solution

Given Information

We have to find out that the in how many standard deviation observation of data set lie either side of the mean

Explanation

According to three standard deviation rule which states that the three standard deviations give the whole knowledge of data set $1st$standard deviation contains around $68\%,2nd$standard deviation contains $95\%$and $3rd$standard deviation contains $98\%$ of the data that is why almost all the observations in any data set lie within three standard deviations to either side of the mean.

Hence, the answer is three.