How to calculate standard deviation in excel

how to calculate standard deviation in excel

how to calculate standard deviation in excel

Answer: To calculate the standard deviation in Excel, you can use the built-in function STDEV.P for a sample or STDEV.S for a population. Here’s how to do it:

For a Sample:

  1. Enter your data in an Excel column.

  2. Click on an empty cell where you want the standard deviation to appear.

  3. Type the following formula, replacing “A1:A10” with the range that contains your data:

    =STDEV.P(A1:A10)
    

    This formula calculates the sample standard deviation. If you are working with the entire column of data, you can use the column letter instead of a specific range (e.g., =STDEV.P(A:A)).

  4. Press Enter.

For a Population:

  1. Enter your data in an Excel column.

  2. Click on an empty cell where you want the standard deviation to appear.

  3. Type the following formula, replacing “A1:A10” with the range that contains your data:

    =STDEV.S(A1:A10)
    

    This formula calculates the population standard deviation. If you are working with the entire column of data, you can use the column letter instead of a specific range (e.g., =STDEV.S(A:A)).

  4. Press Enter.

Excel will calculate the standard deviation for the given data range and display the result in the selected cell.