STDEV

The STDEV function in Google Sheets is a statistical tool used to calculate the standard deviation based on a sample. It measures the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values. Learn how to use this function effectively with our comprehensive guide.

Parameters

• value1: The first value or range for which you want to calculate the standard deviation.
• value2, ...: [Optional] Additional values or ranges for which you want to calculate the standard deviation.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Using STDEV with individual values:

   • Example: =STDEV(2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
   • Result: 3.1622776601683795

2. Using STDEV with a range of cells:

   • Example: If cells A1 to A5 contain the values 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, then =STDEV(A1:A5) will return 3.1622776601683795.

Working with a Single Value, a List, and a Range

STDEV accepts numbers one at a time, as a comma-separated list, or as a range — mix and match freely, as long as at least two numeric values are supplied.

• Single value: =STDEV(A1) — not meaningful on its own; STDEV needs at least two data points and returns a #DIV/0! error with just one.
• List of values: =STDEV(A1, A2, A3) — treats each cell as one data point in the sample.
• Range: =STDEV(A1:A10) — treats every cell in the range as part of the sample.
• Mixed: =STDEV(A1, A3:A6, 10) — combine single cells, ranges, and literal numbers into one sample.

Use Cases and Scenarios

1. Quality Control: Calculate the standard deviation of measurements to analyze the consistency of product quality.
2. Investment Analysis: Determine the volatility of returns by calculating the standard deviation of a portfolio.
3. Survey Analysis: Measure the level of agreement or disagreement among survey responses.

Related Functions

• AVERAGE: Calculate the average of a set of values.
• VAR: Calculate the variance based on a sample.

Related Articles

• Statistical Distributions and Hypothesis Testing in Google Sheets