The simplest measure of dispersion is the:

A. Mean deviation
B. Standard deviation
C. Range
D. Coefficient of variation
E. Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD)

C

Explanation:
The correct answer is “C. Range.” The range is the simplest measure of dispersion as it is the difference between the maximum and minimum values in a data set. It provides a quick understanding of the spread of the data, though it is highly sensitive to outliers.

Run-down:
Dispersion measures help in understanding the variability in a data set. The range, as the simplest measure, gives a quick estimate of how spread out the data values are by looking at the extremes.