Back to Function Index

STDDEV()

Overview

STDDEV() calculates the standard deviation of a set of numbers, which measures the amount of variation or dispersion from the average. This statistical function is useful for analyzing data spread, identifying outliers, and understanding the distribution of values in a dataset.

Function Format

STDDEV(number1 [, number2, number3, ...])

Return Value

STDDEV() returns a numeric value

Examples

// Simple sequence
STDDEV(1, 2, 3) = 1

// Larger range of values
STDDEV(50, 100, 1) = 44

// Negative values
STDDEV(-50, -100, -1) = 44

// Additional examples
STDDEV(10, 10, 10) = 0        // No variation
STDDEV(0, 0, 0) = 0           // Zero values
STDDEV(100, 200, 300) = 100   // Linear sequence

Notes

• Important behaviors:
  • Calculates population standard deviation
  • Returns 0 for identical values
  • Works with both positive and negative numbers
  • Requires at least two numbers
  • Result is always non-negative
• Common use cases include:
  • Statistical analysis
  • Data quality assessment
  • Outlier detection
  • Process control
  • Risk analysis
• The function is useful for:
  • Measuring data spread
  • Quality control
  • Performance analysis
  • Risk assessment
• Statistical considerations:
  • Based on population standard deviation formula
  • Measures dispersion from mean
  • Useful for normal distributions
  • Helps identify unusual values