How to use the STDEV.P function
Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on December 07, 2020
The STDEV.P function returns standard deviation based on the entire population.
The standard deviation is how widely numbers are distributed around the average value.
Formula in cell D3:
=STDEV.P(B3:B12)
Excel Function Syntax
STDEV.P(number1, [number2], ...)
Arguments
| number1 | Required. The first number argument that represents a population. |
| [number2] | Optional. Up to 253 additional number arguments. |
Comments
The STDEV.P function ignores logical values and text values.
For large sample sizes, STDEV.S and STDEV.P return approximately equal values.
How to use the STDEV.P function
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 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 used in statistics.
How is the output from the STDEV.P function calculated?
The STDEV.P function is entered in cell D3, here is how the function calculates the output:
x Ì… is the average.
n is how many values.
Step 1 - Calculate the average
137+139+141+105+139+124+126+146+105+101 = 1263
1263/10 = 126.3
Step 2 - Subtract the average and square the result for all values
(137-126.3)^2+(139-126.3)^2+(141-126.3)^2+(105-126.3)^2+(139-126.3)^2+(124-126.3)^2+(126-126.3)^2+(146-126.3)^2+(105-126.3)^2+(101-126.3)
becomes
(10.7)^2+(12.7)^2+(14.7)^2+(-21.3)^2+(12.7)^2+(-2.3)^2+(-0.299999999999997)^2+(19.7)^2+(-21.3)^2+(-25.3)
becomes
114.49+161.29+216.09+453.69+161.29+5.29+0.0899999999999982+388.09+453.69+640.09
and returns
2594.1
Step 3 - Divide with the total count
2594.1/10 equals 259.41
Step 4 - Square root the result
259.41^(1/2) equals 16.1062099824881
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Functions in this article
Functions in 'Statistical' category
The STDEV.P function is one of many functions in the 'Statistical' category.
Calculates the average of the absolute deviations of data points from their mean.
Calculates the average of numbers in a cell range.
Returns the average of a group of values. Text and boolean value FALSE evaluates to 0. TRUE to 1.
Returns the average of cell values that are valid for a given condition.
Returns the average of cell values that evaluates to TRUE for multiple criteria.
Calculates the beta distribution.
Calculates the inverse of the cumulative beta distribution.
Calculates the individual term binomial distribution probability.
Calculates the minimum value for which the binomial distribution is equal to or greater than a given threshold value.
Calculates the probability of the chi-squared distribution, cumulative distribution or probability density.
Calculates the right-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution.
Calculates the inverse of the left-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution.
Calculates the inverse of the right-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution.
Calculates the test for independence, the value returned from the chi-squared statistical distribution and the correct degrees of freedom. Use this function to check if hypothesized results are valid.
Calculates the confidence interval for a population mean.
Calculates the confidence range for a population mean using a Student's t distribution.
Calculates the correlation between two groups of numbers.
Counts all numerical values in an argument.
Counts the non-empty or non-blank cells in a cell range.
Counts empty or blank cells in a range.
Calculates the number of cells that is equal to a condition.
Calculates the number of cells across multiple ranges that equals all given conditions.
Calculates the covariance meaning the average of the products of deviations for each pair in two different datasets.
Calculates the sample covariance meaning the average of the products of deviations for each pair in two different datasets.
Calculates the exponential distribution representing an outcome in the form of probability.
Calculates the F probability for two tests.
Calculates the right-tailed F probability for two tests.
Calculates the two-tailed probability from an F-test
Calculates a value based on existing x and y values using linear regression.
Calculates how often values occur within a range of values and then returns a vertical array of numbers.
Calculates the GAMMA value.
Calculates the gamma often used in queuing analysis (probability statistics) that may have a skewed distribution.
Calculates the geometric mean.
Returns estimated exponential growth based on given data.
Calculates the harmonic mean.
Returns a value representing the y-value where a line intersects the y-axis.
Calculates the kurtosis.
Calculates the k-th largest value from an array of numbers.
Returns an array of values representing the parameters of a straight line based on the "least squares" method.
Returns an array of values representing the parameters of an exponential curve that fits your data, based on the "least squares" method.
Calculates the lognormal distribution of argument x, based on a normally distributed ln(x) with the arguments of mean and standard_dev.
Calculate the largest number in a cell range.
Calculates the highest value based on a condition or criteria.
Calculates the median based on a group of numbers. The median is the middle number of a group of numbers.
Returns the smallest number in a cell range.
Returns the smallest number. Text values and blanks are ignored, boolean value TRUE evaluates to 1 and FALSE to 0 (zero).
Calculates the smallest value based on a given set of criteria.
Returns the most frequent number in a cell range. It will return multiple numbers if they are equally frequent.
Calculates the most frequent value in an array or range of data.
Calculates the normal distribution for a given mean and standard deviation.
Calculates the inverse of the normal cumulative distribution for a given mean and standard deviation.
Calculates the percent rank of a given number in a data set.
Calculates the percent rank of a given number compared to the whole data set.
Returns the number of permutations for a set of elements that can be selected from a larger number of elements.
Returns the number of permutations for a specific number of elements that can be selected from a larger group of elements.
Calculates a number of the density function for a standard normal distribution.
Calculates the probability that values in a range are between a given lower and upper limit.
Returns the quartile of a data set.
Returns the quartile of a data set, based on percentile values from 0..1, inclusive.
Returns the rank of a number out of a list of numbers.
Calculates the rank of a number in a list of numbers, based on its position if the list were sorted.
Calculates the skewness of a group of values.
Calculates the slope of the linear regression line through coordinates.
Returns the k-th smallest value from a group of numbers.
Calculates a normalized value from a distribution characterized by mean and standard_dev.
Returns standard deviation based on the entire population.
Returns standard deviation based on a sample of the entire population.
Estimates the standard deviation from a sample of values.
Returns the standard deviation based on the entire population, including text and logical values.
Calculates values along a linear trend.
Calculates the mean of the interior of a data set.
Returns the variance based on the entire population. The function ignores logical and text values.
The VAR.S function tries to estimate the variance based on a sample of the population. The function ignores logical and text values.
Excel function categories
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Functions for backward compatibility with earlier Excel versions. Compatibility functions are replaced with newer functions with improved accuracy. Use the new functions if compatibility isn't required.
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You will find functions in this category that calculates random values, round numerical values, create sequential numbers, trigonometry, and more.
Calculate distributions, binomial distributions, exponential distribution, probabilities, variance, covariance, confidence interval, frequency, geometric mean, standard deviation, average, median, and other statistical metrics.
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Allows you to filter data based on selected value , a given text, or other criteria. It also lets you filter existing data or move filtered values to a new location.
Lets you control what a user can type into a cell. It allows you to specifiy conditions and show a custom message if entered data is not valid.
Lets the user work more efficiently by showing a list that the user can select a value from. This lets you control what is shown in the list and is faster than typing into a cell.
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VBA stands for Visual Basic for Applications and is a computer programming language developed by Microsoft, it allows you to automate time-consuming tasks and create custom functions.
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UDF stands for User Defined Functions and is custom built functions anyone can create.
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