The VAR.P function in Google Sheets calculates the variance of a population based on a set of values. Unlike its counterpart, VAR.S, which assesses a sample variance, VAR.P is used when you want to find the variance of an entire population data set. This function is particularly useful in statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making, providing insights into how spread out your data points are around the mean.

Syntax

VAR.P(value1, [value2, ...])

value1: The first value or the range of cells that contains the data points for the population.
value2: [Optional] Additional values or ranges of cells to include in the calculation of variance.

Example #1

VAR.P(A1:A5)

This function calculates the variance of the population for the values contained in the range A1 to A5. For example, if the values are 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25, the function would return a variance of 62.5.

Example #2

VAR.P(10, 20, 30, 40)

In this example, the function computes the variance of the set numbers: 10, 20, 30, and 40. The variance calculated would be 125.

Example #3

VAR.P(B1, B2, B3, B4, B5)

This function evaluates the variance of the population for cell references B1 through B5. If cell B1 contains 8, B2 contains 12, B3 contains 16, B4 contains 20, and B5 contains 24, the result would be 40.

Error handling

ERROR: No data: This indicates that there are no values present to compute the variance.
ERROR: Invalid Argument: This occurs when non-numeric values are included in the function, preventing calculation.
ERROR: Too many arguments: This error arises when more than 30 arguments are supplied to the function, exceeding the limit set by Google Sheets.

Conclusion

In summary, the VAR.P function is an essential tool for anyone performing statistical analysis in Google Sheets. It allows users to evaluate the variance of an entire population, providing valuable insights into data distribution. By understanding how to use this function correctly, including its syntax and potential errors, you can enhance your data analysis capabilities effectively.

VAR.P Google Sheets function