Get standard deviation.
How it works
=STDEV.P(number1 to 254)
| Name | Omission | Specify |
|---|---|---|
| number1 to 254 | Required | Specify a list of values or range of cells. |
Example Results
Standard deviation is a number that indicates how scattered the data are.
Even if the mean is the same, the standard deviation varies depending on the distribution of values.
When the distributions are the same, the following characteristics are observed:
- The probability that the average will go from " Average - (standard deviation x 1)" to "Average + (standard deviation x 1)" is about 68%.
- The probability that the average goes from "Average - (standard deviation x 2)" to "Average + (standard deviation x 2)" is about 95%.
This is an indicator that may be used for forecasting purposes.
This prediction is based on the "normal distribution" model, which assumes that humans, nature, and society are likely to be so, and similar.
Whether this is actually the case or not is another matter.
However, it is more meaningful than making predictions without any criteria.
The example below predicts the following:
- The probability of being between "14.0" and "37.2" is about 68%.
- The probability of being between "2.4" and "48.9" is about 95%.
---