How to calculate the variance and standard deviation of a dataset using the VAR and STDEV functions in Excel?

To calculate the variance and standard deviation of a dataset using the VAR and STDEV functions in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Enter your dataset into a column in Excel.
  2. Use the VAR function to calculate the variance. In an empty cell, enter "=VAR(" and then select the range of cells that contains your dataset. Close the parenthesis and press Enter. The result will be the variance of the dataset.
  3. Use the STDEV function to calculate the standard deviation. In an empty cell, enter "=STDEV(" and then select the range of cells that contains your dataset. Close the parenthesis and press Enter. The result will be the standard deviation of the dataset.

Note: The VAR.S and STDEV.S functions can also be used instead if you are working with a sample dataset. The VAR.P and STDEV.P functions are used to calculate the variance and standard deviation of a population dataset.