This post will guide you how to use the STDEV function with syntax and examples in Microsoft excel.

Description

The Excel STDEV function returns the standard deviation of a population based on a sample of numbers. This function has been replaced by the STDEV.S function in Excel 2010. The standard deviation is used to identify the amount that a set of values differ from the average value. And if you want to calculate the standard deviation for an entire population, you can use the STDEVP or STDEV.P function.

The STDEV function is a build-in function in Microsoft Excel and it is categorized as a Statistical Function.

The STDEV function is available in Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Excel XP, Excel 2000, Excel 2011 for Mac.

Syntax

The syntax of the STDEV function is as below:

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

Where the STDEV function arguments are:

• number1-This is a required argument.  The first number or cell reference in a sample of a population.
• number2 -This is an optional argument.  Number arguments 2 to 255 corresponding to a sample of a population. And it can only accept up to 30 number arguments in Excel 2003 or older.

Note:

• The argument must be numbers or arrays or cell references that contain only numbers.
• The STDEV function is only used for its arguments are a sample of the population. And if the argument represents the entire population, you need to use the STDEVP function to calculate the standard deviation.
• If the argument contain the logical values and text representations of numbers and those values will be counted.
• STDEV uses the following formula:

 

Excel STDEV Function Examples

The below examples will show you how to use Excel STDEV Function to calculate the standard deviation for data that represents a sample of the population.

1# to get standard deviation of a sample of numbers, using the following formula:

=STDEV(A1:A2)

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Related Functions

• Excel STDEVA Function
  The Excel STDEVA function returns the standard deviation of a population based on a sample of numbers, text, and logical values. The syntax of the STDEVA function is as below:= STDEVA (value1, [value2], ..)…
• Excel STDEVP Function
  The Excel STDEVP function returns the standard deviation of a population based on an entire population of numbers. This function has been replaced by the STDEV.P function in Excel 2010.The syntax of the STDEVP function is as below:= STDEVP(number1,[number2],…)…
• Excel STDEVPA Function
  The Excel STDEVPA function returns the standard deviation of a population based on an entire population of numbers, text or logical values. The syntax of the STDEVPA function is as below:= STDEVPA (value1, [value2], …)…