# VARPA

## Content

This function returns variance based on the entire population, which includes numeric, logical, or text values.

## Syntax

`VARPA( value1 , value2 ,...)`

`VARPA( array )`

`VARPA( array1 , array2 ,...)`

## Arguments

Each argument can be a double-precision floating-point value, an integer value, text, a logical value, or an array (cell range) of these. Up to 255 arguments may be included. You can use a single array (cell range) instead of a list of values. You can use multiple arrays (cell ranges) as well.

## Remarks

The variance returns how spread out a set of data is.

Each argument can be a double-precision floating-point value, an integer value, text, a logical value, or an array (cell range) of these. Up to 255 arguments may be included. You can use a single array (cell range) instead of a list of values. You can use multiple arrays (cell ranges) as well.

* This function uses the following equation to calculate the variance, where *n* is the number of values.
    ![](https://gcdocumentsitekrblob.blob.core.windows.net/document-site-files/images/8d606653-16a0-474d-b9dc-e2b4d01c2446/images/Func-VARPA.png)
    where x is the value and n is the number of values.

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

This function differs from [VARP](/spreadjs/docs/v17/formulareference/FormulaFunctions/compatibility-functions/VARP) because it accepts logical and text values as well as numeric values.

## Data Types

Accepts numeric, logical, and text data for all arguments. Returns numeric data.

## Examples

`VARPA(B3,C4,B2,D10,E5)`

`VARPA(A1:A9) VARPA(R1C2,100,R2C5,102)`

`VARPA(98,85,76,87,92,89,90)` gives the result 39.2653061224