How to use the STDEVA function
The STDEVA function estimates the standard deviation from a sample of values. It evaluates Boolean value TRUE as 1, FALSE and text values as 0 (zero).
What is Standard Deviation?
Standard deviation tells you how far from the average values are spread out. Both charts above have numbers and an average plotted, they share the exact same average however, the numbers are not the same.
Chart A above shows that the values are more spread out than the values in chart B. Chart A has a standard deviation of 23.45256334, standard deviation for chart B is 5.207075606. Standard deviation is fundamental in statistics.
When to use the STDEV.P function and the STDEV.S function?
Use STDEV.P if you have the full population data. Use STDEV.S if you have a sample of limited data from a larger population. STDEV.P will result in a lower standard deviation compared to STDEV.S on the same data.
Sample standard deviation is considered a better estimate for inferring population parameters.
What is inferring population parameters?
Population parameters refer to the actual values of statistics that describe an entire population, such as the population mean or standard deviation. However, the true population parameter values are often not known.
What is sample inferential statistics?
Sample inferential statistics are methods that allow using statistics calculated on a sample of data to infer the unknown population parameters.
For example:
- The sample mean can be used to estimate the population mean.
- The sample standard deviation can estimate the population standard deviation.
What is the difference between the STDEVA function and the STDEV.S function?
The STDEVA function evaluates:
- Boolean value TRUE as 1
- FALSE is 0 (zero).
- Text values are evaluated as 0 (zero) as well.
The STDEV.S function ignores Boolean and text values. estimates the standard deviation from a sample of values. Both formulas use the same math formula to calculate the standard deviation.
What is the difference between the STDEVA function and the STDEVPA function?
The STDEVA function estimates the standard deviation from a sample of values. If your data contains the entire population use instead the STDEVPA function to calculate the standard deviation.
Both functions evaluate:
- Boolean value TRUE as 1.
- FALSE is 0 (zero).
- Text values are evaluated as 0 (zero) as well.
STDEVPA math formula:
STDEVA math formula:
STDEVA function Syntax
STDEVA(number1,[number2],...)
STDEVA function Arguments
number1 | Required. This argument can be an array of constants or a cell reference to a group of values. |
[number2] | Optional. Up to 254 additional arguments. |
STDEVA function example
The image above demonstrates the STDEVA function, it calculates the standard deviation based on a sample specified in cell range B3:B14.
Formula in cell D3:
STDEVA function not working
How is the STDEVA function calculated?
STDEVA function = √(Σ(x - x̄)2/(n-1))
x̄ - arithmetic mean
n - count of values
Functions in 'Statistical' category
The STDEVA function function is one of 74 functions in the 'Statistical' category.
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