Description
Use this function to calculate the standard deviation of a sample, including numbers, text, and logical values. Supported in Chains. Can be used with CHILDREFS.
Syntax
STDEVA(value_1, […, value_254])
Inputs
This function accepts the following arguments:
| Name | Required | Description | Valid input |
|---|---|---|---|
value_1 |
Yes | The first value or range in the sample. | A number, text, or logical value, a reference to a cell containing any of these, a cell range that includes any of these, or a formula which results in any of these. |
value_n |
No | Additional population values. | A number, text, or logical value, a reference to a cell containing any of these, a cell range that includes any of these, or a formula which results in any of these. Up to 254 additional values can be considered. |
Example
Sample data
| A | B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Value |
Type |
|
| 2 | 10 |
Number |
|
| 3 | 20 |
Number |
|
| 4 | TRUE |
Logical |
|
| 5 | Sample |
Text |
|
| 6 | 30 |
Number |
Sample formulas
| Use case | Formula | Explanation and Result |
|---|---|---|
| Calculate the sample standard deviation of a range that includes text and logical values. | =STDEVA(A2:A6) |
Treats TRUE as 1 and "Sample" as 0, then calculates the sample standard deviation across all 5 values. Result: 12.81 |
| Calculate the sample standard deviation of values typed directly into the formula, including text and logical values. | =STDEVA(10, 20, TRUE, "Sample", 30) |
Same calculation as above, but with the values entered literally instead of pulled from a range. Result: 12.81 |
| Calculate the sample standard deviation using only the purely numeric cells in a range, skipping the text and logical ones. | =STDEVA(A2:A3, A6) |
Uses just 10, 20, and 30 — skipping the TRUE in A4 and the text "Sample" in A5 entirely by not including their cells in the range. Result: 10 |
Notes
- STDEVA treats TRUE as 1, FALSE as 0, and text as 0.
- STDEVA uses the formula:
√[Σ(x - x̄)² / (n-1)], where x is the sample mean and n is the sample size. - STDEVA assumes that its arguments are a sample of the population. If your data represents the entire population, use STDEVPA instead.
- If the sample contains no numeric data, STDEVA returns the #DIV/0! error.
- Cells that contain empty text ("") are ignored.
Tips
- Use STDEVA when you want to include text and logical values in your standard deviation calculation.
- STDEVA is particularly useful in datasets where text or logical values represent numeric information.
- For datasets with only numeric values, consider using STDEV.S instead.
- You can combine STDEVA with other statistical functions such as AVERAGEA for comprehensive data analysis.
- Be careful when interpreting results: STDEVA's inclusion of text and logical values may lead to different outcomes compared to strictly numeric standard deviation calculations.