STDEV

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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

STDEV ( number1 ,number2,...)

Number1,number2,... are 1 to 30 number arguments corresponding to a sample of a population.

Remarks

  • Logical values such as TRUE and FALSE and text are ignored. If logical values and text must not be ignored, use the STDEVA function.

  • STDEV assumes that its arguments are a sample of the population. If your data represents the entire population, then compute the standard deviation using STDEVP.

  • The standard deviation is calculated using the "nonbiased" or "n-1" method.

  • STDEV uses the following formula:

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Example

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

St1

St2

St3

St4

St5

St6

St7

St8

St9

St10

Formula

Description (Result)

1345

1301

1368

1322

1310

1370

1318

1350

1303

1299

=STDEV([St1], [St2], [St3], [St4], [St5], [St6], [St7], [St8], [St9], [St10])

Standard deviation of breaking strength (27.46391572)