when calculating std deviation in Microsoft Works Spreadsheet 8.5 - STD(data set range) gives a different value for my set of data, than when calculated in windows Excel - STDEV(data set range).

why is this? Am I doing something wrong?

In Excel, try using DSTDEV or DSTDEVP to see if any of these statistical function variants gives you what you want.

Thanks for responding to my query, much appreciated.

I am currently using SPSS statistical software package and when the standard deviation is calculated using that, it gives me exactly the same result as when calculated using excel.

The problem definitely seems to be with Microsoft works spreadsheet?!

I wondered if anyone one else had found this problem also?

OK this is three years old but I'm answering anyway in case someone else benefits - I had the same problem and found this on kbalerts.com, which solved the problem for me:

The Works STD function computes standard deviation for a population. This corresponds to the STDEVP function in Microsoft Excel. To get a sample standard deviation as provided by the STDEV function in Microsoft Excel, use the formula:

STD(RangeReferences)*SQRT(COUNT(RangeReferences)/(COUNT
(RangeReferences)-1))


NOTE: Type formula without line break.