STDEV.P function

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Calculates standard deviation based on the entire population given as arguments (ignores logical values and text).

The standard deviation is a measure of how widely values are dispersed from the average value (the mean).

Syntax

STDEV.P(number1,[number2],...])

The STDEV.P function syntax has the following arguments (argument: A value that provides information to an action, an event, a method, a property, a function, or a procedure.):

• Number1     Required. The first number argument corresponding to a population.
• Number2, ...     Optional. Number arguments 2 to 254 corresponding to a population. You can also use a single array or a reference to an array instead of arguments separated by commas.

Remarks

• STDEV.P assumes that its arguments are the entire population. If your data represents a sample of the population, then compute the standard deviation using STDEV.
• For large sample sizes, STDEV.S and STDEV.P return approximately equal values.
• The standard deviation is calculated using the "n" method.
• Arguments can either be numbers or names, arrays, or references that contain numbers.
• Logical values, and text representations of numbers that you type directly into the list of arguments are counted.
• If an argument is an array or reference, only numbers in that array or 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.
• If you want to include logical values and text representations of numbers in a reference as part of the calculation, use the STDEVPA function.
• STDEV.P uses the following formula:

where x is the sample mean AVERAGE(number1,number2,…) and n is the sample size.

Example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

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