The STDEV.P Function calculates the standard deviation of a dataset if the dataset is considered to be from a population. The STDEV.S Function calculates the standard deviation of a dataset if the dataset is considered to be from a sample. STDEV.P vs STDEV.S – The Difference The STDEV.P Function is based on the formula:
Full Answer
STDEV.P: This function calculates the population standard deviation. Use this function when the range of values represents the entire population. 2. STDEV.S: This function calculates the sample standard deviation. Use this function when the range of values represents a sample of values, rather than an entire population.
To illustrate the difference between STDEVPA and STDEVP, create a blank Excel worksheet, copy the table below, select cell A1 in your blank Excel worksheet, and then click Paste on the Edit menu so that the entries in the table below fill cells A1:D12 in your worksheet.
In most cases, we’re unable to collect data for an entire population so we instead collect data for just a sample of the population. Thus, we almost always use STDEV.S to calculate the standard deviation of a dataset because our dataset typically represents a sample.
STDEV.S Function calculates the standard deviation of a dataset if the dataset is considered to be from a sample. N is the population size (the number of data points in the population). n is the sample size (the number of data points in the sample).
This article discusses the differences between the STDEVPA function in Microsoft Excel and the closely related STDEVP function. In particular, it discusses how the results of the STDEVPA function for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and for Microsoft Office Excel 2003 may differ from the results of STDEVPA in earlier versions of Excel.
The STDEVPA function returns the population standard deviation for a population whose values are contained in an Excel worksheet and specified by the argument (s) to STDEVPA.