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VAR.S

The VAR.S function is a statistical function that calculates the variance of a sample of data. Variance is a measure of how spread out a set of data is from the average value. It is commonly used to analyze data and make decisions based on how much variation there is in the data.

Usage

Use the VAR.S formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter and 1 optional parameter:

=VAR.S(value1, [value2, ...])
Parameters:
  1. value1 (required):
    The first value or range of values that you want to calculate the variance for. The range can contain numbers, arrays, or references to cells containing numbers.
  2. value2, ... (optional):
    Additional values or ranges of values that you want to include in the calculation of the variance. You can enter up to 254 arguments.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the VAR.S formula in Google Sheets.

Calculate the variance of a set of data

If you have a set of data that you want to analyze, you can use the VAR.S function to calculate the variance. This will give you an idea of how spread out the data is from the average value.

Compare the variance of two sets of data

If you have two sets of data, you can use the VAR.S function to calculate the variance of each set and compare them. This can help you determine which set of data has more variation.

Calculate the standard deviation

The standard deviation is another measure of how spread out a set of data is from the average value. You can calculate the standard deviation by taking the square root of the variance, which is calculated using the VAR.S function.

Common Mistakes

VAR.S not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the VAR.S Google Sheets Formula:

Forgetting to enter values

If you forget to enter any values for VAR.S, you will receive a #VALUE! error. Double-check that you have entered all the required arguments for the function.

Using the wrong type of data

Make sure that all the values you are using in VAR.S are numeric. If you try to use text or non-numeric data, you will receive a #VALUE! error.

Using VAR.S instead of VAR.P

Make sure you are using the correct function for your needs. If you are working with a sample of data, use VAR.S. If you are working with an entire population of data, use VAR.P.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to VAR.S or are often used with it in a formula:

  • VAR.P

    The VAR.P function returns the variance of its arguments, which is a measure of the spread of a dataset in statistics. Unlike the VAR function, VAR.P function considers all the values in the dataset when calculating its variance, not just a sample of them. The function is commonly used to analyze the variability of a dataset and determine how much the data points deviate from the mean.

  • STDEV.S

    The STDEV.S formula calculates the standard deviation of a sample of data. It is commonly used to measure the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values from their average. This formula accepts up to 255 arguments, which can be numbers, arrays, or references that contain numbers. The result is a measure of how spread out the data is, with a larger standard deviation indicating greater variability.

  • STDEV.P

    The STDEV.P function is a statistical function that calculates the standard deviation of a population based on a sample of numerical data. It is commonly used to measure the amount of variation or dispersion in a dataset. The formula assumes that the input values represent the entire population, rather than a sample. If the input values represent a sample, you should use the STDEV.S function instead.

Learn More

You can learn more about the VAR.S Google Sheets function on Google Support.