Excel STDEV.P function
Calculates the standard deviation when you have the whole population’s data. In Spanish Excel it is called DESVEST.P.
Syntax
English Excel
=STDEV.P(number1, [number2], …)
Spanish Excel (Mexico)
=DESVEST.P(número1, [número2], …)
Spanish Excel (Spain, Latin America)
=DESVEST.P(número1; [número2]; …)
| Argument | What it is |
|---|---|
| number1 | The first number or range. |
| number2optional | More numbers or ranges. |
Example
If you have all the data (the whole group, not a sample), use STDEV.P. STDEV.S divides by n − 1 because it estimates from a sample.
=STDEV.P(B2:B9)
Common mistake
If the data is a sample (some customers, not all), use STDEV.S: it gives a slightly larger value.
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Practice STDEV.P
Type the formula in the sheet and check it instantly. Spanish or English function names both work. See all lessons
Whole population: STDEV.P
If you have all the data (the whole group, not a sample), use STDEV.P. STDEV.S divides by n − 1 because it estimates from a sample.
In E1, calculate the standard deviation of the whole group’s grades.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student | Grade | Group std. dev. | |||
| 2 | Ana | 9 | ||||
| 3 | Luis | 6 | ||||
| 4 | Sofía | 8 | ||||
| 5 | Diego | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Marta | 10 | ||||
| 7 | Pablo | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Valeria | 8 | ||||
| 9 | Tomás | 6 | ||||
| 10 |
Tip: while typing, click a cell or drag across several to insert their reference. F4 anchors the reference with $.
Frequently asked questions
- What is STDEV.P called in Spanish?
- In Spanish Excel it is DESVEST.P. The formula =STDEV.P(B2:B9) is written =DESVEST.P(B2:B9) (or with commas in Mexico).
- Why does STDEV.P use semicolons in some Excel versions?
- It depends on regional settings. Where the comma is the decimal mark (Spain, much of South America), Excel separates arguments with semicolons. English Excel and Mexican Spanish Excel use commas.
- What is the most common STDEV.P mistake?
- If the data is a sample (some customers, not all), use STDEV.S: it gives a slightly larger value.