VARP function

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Calculates variance based on the entire population.

 Important   This function has been replaced with one or more new functions that may provide improved accuracy and whose names better reflect their usage. Although this function is still available for backward compatibility, you should consider using the new functions from now on, because this function may not be available in future versions of Excel.

For more information about the new function, see VAR.P function.

Syntax

VARP(number1,[number2],...])

The VARP 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 255 corresponding to a population.

Remarks

• VARP assumes that its arguments are the entire population. If your data represents a sample of the population, then compute the variance by using VAR.
• 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 VARPA function.
• The equation for VARP is:

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

Example

Suppose all 10 tools stamped from the same machine during a production run are collected and measured for breaking strength.

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

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