>Does anyone know why there is a difference between the "Calculate Std()" in Fox, and the STDev() function in Excel?
>
>They both produce different answers. For example, using the values:
>4,5,4,6,3,5,6,4 in Fox produces a standard devation of 1.73.
>
>Using Excel produces 1.06.
>
>I tried doing the math by hand and the Excel one seems to be correct.
>
>Should I not be using the Fox answer? I would really not have to program a std deviation function, but I will if I have to.
>
>Does anyone know why the two are different?
>
>Greg
I don't remember the exact formula (perhaps the Excel help has it), but the difference is somehow related to a factor of (n) vs. (n-1) somewhere in the formula, depending on whether you are looking at a sample, or at a total population.
I think Excel has formulae for both cases.
HTH, Hilmar.
Difference in opinions hath cost many millions of lives: for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether whistling be a vice or a virtue; whether it be better to kiss a post, or throw it into the fire... (from Gulliver's Travels)
