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:
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Enter your data in an Excel column.
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Click on an empty cell where you want the standard deviation to appear.
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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)).
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Press Enter.
For a Population:
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Enter your data in an Excel column.
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Click on an empty cell where you want the standard deviation to appear.
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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)).
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Press Enter.
Excel will calculate the standard deviation for the given data range and display the result in the selected cell.