Description
Use this function to calculate the standard deviation of a sample. Supported in Chains. Can be used with CHILDREFS.
STDEV provides a measure of how widely values are dispersed from the average value (the mean). This makes it useful for measuring the variability in a set of data, such as sales figures, temperatures, or test scores.
Syntax
STDEV(number_1, […, number_254])
Inputs
This function accepts the following arguments:
| Name | Required | Description | Valid input |
|---|---|---|---|
number_1 |
Yes | The first number corresponding to a sample of a population. | A number, a reference to a cell containing a number, or a formula which results in either of these. |
number_n |
No | Additional sample population numbers. | A number, a reference to a cell containing a number, or a formula which results in either of these. Up to 254 additional values from within the overall population can be considered. |
Example
Sample data
| A | B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales | Month | |
| 2 | 5000 | January | |
| 3 | 7500 | February | |
| 4 | 6200 | March | |
| 5 | 8100 | April | |
| 6 | 6800 | May |
Sample formulas
| Use case | Formula | Explanation and Result |
|---|---|---|
| Calculate the standard deviation of sales using range values. | =STDEV(A2:A6) |
Measures the sample standard deviation of the five monthly sales figures (5000, 7500, 6200, 8100, 6800) using the n-1 method. Result: $1198.75 |
| Calculate the standard deviation using explicit values. | =STDEV(5000, 7500, 6200, 8100, 6800) |
Produces the same result as the range-based formula since the values are identical. Result: $1198.75 |
| Calculate the standard deviation for the first three months. | =STDEV(A2:A4) |
Measures the sample standard deviation of just 5000, 7500, and 6200. Result: $1250.33 |
| Calculate the standard deviation for alternate months. Note that the third value is an explicit one. | =STDEV(A2, A4, 6800) |
Measures the sample standard deviation of 5000, 8100, and 6800. Result: $1556.71 |
Notes
- STDEV has been replaced by STDEV.S in Excel and Workiva, but is still available for backward compatibility.
- STDEV assumes that its arguments are a sample of the population. If your data represents the entire population, use STDEV.P instead.
- STDEV uses the "n-1" method to calculate standard deviation.
- Logical values and text representations of numbers that you type directly into the list of arguments are counted.
- If an argument is a reference, only numbers in that reference are counted. Empty cells, logical values, text, or error values in the array or reference are ignored.
- Arguments that are error values or text that cannot be translated into numbers cause errors.
Tips
- Combine STDEV with other statistical functions such as AVERAGE and MEDIAN for comprehensive data analysis.