How to Use the VAR Function in Excel

The VAR function in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets is designed to calculate the variance of a sample of data. Variance is an important statistical measure that indicates how much the numbers in a data set deviate from their mean. This deviation is determined by averaging the squared differences from the mean of the data set. The VAR function requires a range of numeric inputs as arguments and returns the variance of these values.

How to Use the VAR Function in Excel and Google Sheets

The syntax for the VAR function is consistent across both Excel and Google Sheets:

=VAR(number1, [number2], ...)

In this formula, number1, number2, etc., represent the numerical values or cell references that denote the sample data you wish to analyze.

Examples of Using the VAR Function

To better understand the VAR function, consider a straightforward example with a data set located in cells A1 to A5:

Data
5
7
3
8
4

To calculate the variance of this data set, apply the VAR function as follows:

=VAR(A1:A5)

This will compute the variance of the set containing the numbers 5, 7, 3, 8, and 4.

Another practical application of the VAR function is for analyzing variability in data such as student grades. If grades are listed from cells B2 to B30, you can calculate their variance using:

=VAR(B2:B30)

This formula determines the variance of the grades over the specified cell range.

Conclusion

The VAR function is an essential tool in Excel and Google Sheets for statistical analyses involving variance. Mastering this function can provide significant insights into the distribution and variability of data, facilitating more informed decision-making.

More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/var-function-1f2b7ab2-954d-4e17-ba2c-9e58b15a7da2

Other functions
Returns the beta cumulative distribution function
Returns the inverse of the cumulative distribution function for a specified beta distribution
Returns the individual term binomial distribution probability
Returns the one-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution
Returns the inverse of the one-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution
Returns the test for independence
Returns the confidence interval for a population mean
Returns covariance, the average of the products of paired deviations
Returns the smallest value for which the cumulative binomial distribution is less than or equal to a criterion value
Returns the exponential distribution
Returns the F probability distribution
Rounds a number down, toward zero
Returns the result of an F-test
Returns the gamma distribution
Returns the inverse of the gamma cumulative distribution
Returns the hypergeometric distribution
Returns the inverse of the lognormal cumulative distribution
Returns the cumulative lognormal distribution
Returns the most common value in a data set
Returns the negative binomial distribution
Returns the inverse of the normal cumulative distribution
Returns the normal cumulative distribution
Returns the standard normal cumulative distribution
Returns the inverse of the standard normal cumulative distribution
Returns the k-th percentile of values in a range
Returns the percentage rank of a value in a data set
Returns the Poisson distribution
Returns the quartile of a data set
Returns the rank of a number in a list of numbers
Estimates standard deviation based on a sample
Calculates standard deviation based on the entire population
Returns the Student's t-distribution
Returns the inverse of the Student's t-distribution
Returns the probability associated with a Student's t-test
Calculates variance based on the entire population
Calculates variance based on the entire population, including numbers, text, and logical values
Returns the one-tailed probability-value of a z-test