How to use the STDEVPA function
What is the STDEVPA function?
The STDEVPA function returns the standard deviation based on the entire population. 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 STDEVA function and the STDEVPA function?
Use STDEVPA if you have the full population data. Use STDEVA if you have a sample of limited data from a larger population. STDEVPA will result in a lower standard deviation compared to STDEVA 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 STDEVPA function and the STDEV.P function?
The STDEVPA function evaluates:
- Boolean value TRUE as 1
- FALSE is 0 (zero).
- Text values are evaluated as 0 (zero) as well.
The STDEV.P 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:
STDEVPA function example
The image above demonstrates the STDEVPA function, it calculates the standard deviation based on a population specified in cell range B3:B14.
Formula in cell D3:
STDEVPA function Syntax
STDEVPA(value1, [value2], ...)
STDEVPA function Arguments
| value1 | Required. The first number argument that represents the entire population. |
| [value2] | Optional. Up to 253 additional number arguments. |
How is the STDEVPA function calculated?
STDEVPA function = √(Σ(x - x̄)2/n)
√ - square root
Σ - sum of
x̄ - arithmetic mean
n - count of values
Functions in 'Statistical' category
The STDEVPA function function is one of many functions in the 'Statistical' category.
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