How do I use the STDEVA function in Excel?

Description

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

Syntax

STDEVA(value1, [value2], …)

The STDEVA function syntax has the following arguments:

• Value1, value2, …    Value1 is required, subsequent values are optional. 1 to 255 values corresponding to a sample of a population. You can also use a single array or a reference to an array instead of arguments separated by commas.

Remarks

• STDEVA assumes that its arguments are a sample of the population. If your data represents the entire population, you must compute the standard deviation using STDEVPA.

• The standard deviation is calculated using the “n-1” method.

• Arguments can be the following: numbers; names, arrays, or references that contain numbers; text representations of numbers; or logical values, such as TRUE and FALSE, in a reference.

• Arguments that contain TRUE evaluate as 1; arguments that contain text or FALSE evaluate as 0 (zero).

• If an argument is an array or reference, only values in that array or reference are used. Empty cells and text 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 do not want to include logical values and text representations of numbers in a reference as part of the calculation, use the STDEV function.

• STDEVA uses the following formula:

  

  where x is the sample mean AVERAGE(value1,value2,…) and n is the sample size.