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I have several data columns with 400 to 500 entries in each in a Calc spreadsheet. For each of these columns, I would like simply to be able to find the mean and standard deviation, but don't know how to proceed.

Can someone please direct me step-by-step on how to do this in simple and not technical language?

CharlesB
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David Laing
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2 Answers2

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Calculate Standard Deviation in Openoffice:

  1. Put the input numbers in separate cells of column A1 through A10.

  2. Put the text: =stdev in a cell. OpenOffice should popup something to ask you what the parameters are. Either double click the STDEV in the popup and follow the directions, or when it prompts you to select input, use the mouse to select columns A1 through A10

  3. When you press enter, you will have calculated the standard deviation. Do the same thing to get the mean by using the OpenOffice function: average.

RTFM:

http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/How_Tos/Calc:_AVERAGE_function

http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/How_Tos/Calc:_STDEV_function

Eric Leschinski
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Was looking for a solution to a similar issue, and found one through a combination of websites and my own tinkering; so came back to share what I learned.

If your column has a title, in my case Price/Gal you can use that as the name of the column so you can find the mean of the whole column, without having to define the range.

so in my specific case:

=ROUND(AVERAGE('Price/Gal');3)

..effectively rounding the average of the entire column titled "Price/Gal" to the 3rd decimal place.

In situations where you use a symbol like / (a formula function) it is imperative you remember to use the apostrophes, as if it's title is pricegal Calc would fix the formula as you type, but with it as Price/Gal Calc gets confused.. Which is how I figured this out.. I named it pricegal and then just renamed it Price/Gal and Calc fixed the formula as well.. using apostrophes, hinting to me what I did wrong.

Alternatively, supposedly when you select a whole row, in the drop down menu in the upper left corner, which would read A1:A1048576 or the like, you can rename the column as well.. though I had issues with this and just seemed messy to me.. though if you don't have a title, that'd be the way to do it I guess. (That one came from elsewhere, but could be useful to whoever looking later)

Nathaniel Sloan
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