# STDEV

## Content

This function returns the standard deviation for a set of numbers.

## Syntax

`STDEV( value1, value2,... )`

## Arguments

Each argument can be a cell, a cell range, a float value, or an integer value. This function can have up to 255 arguments.

## Remarks

The standard deviation is a measure of how widely values are dispersed from the average value.

The standard deviation is calculated using the "non-biased" or "n–1" method.

* The equation for calculating the standard deviation is:
    ![](https://gcdocumentsitekrblob.blob.core.windows.net/document-site-files/images/8d606653-16a0-474d-b9dc-e2b4d01c2446/images/Func-STDEV.png)
    where x is the value and n is the number of values.

This function assumes that its arguments are a sample of the population. If your data represents the entire population, then compute the standard deviation using the [STDEVP](/spreadjs/docs/v17/formulareference/FormulaFunctions/compatibility-functions/STDEVP) function.

This function differs from the STDEVA, which allows text or logical values as well as numeric values.

## Data Types

Accepts numeric data for all arguments. Returns numeric data.

## Examples

`STDEV(A1,B2,C3,D4,E5,F6)`

`STDEV(A1:A9)`

`STDEV(R1C2,R3C4,R4C5,R7C2)`

`STDEV(95,89,73,87,85,76,100,96,96)` gives the result 9.3422576382