Google Sheets Test Google Sheets Statistical Functions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which function calculates the standard deviation based on a sample (not the entire population)?
- STDEV (Correct answer)
- STDEVP
- VAR
- STDDEV
Correct answer: STDEV
STDEV uses n-1 (Bessel's correction) in its formula, making it appropriate for sample data rather than a full population.
Question 2: What is the key difference between STDEV and STDEVP in Google Sheets?
- STDEV works on text; STDEVP works on numbers
- STDEV is for a sample; STDEVP is for an entire population (Correct answer)
- STDEV excludes zeros; STDEVP includes zeros
- They are identical functions with different names
Correct answer: STDEV is for a sample; STDEVP is for an entire population
STDEV divides by n-1 (sample), while STDEVP divides by n (population), yielding a slightly different result.
Question 3: Which function returns the nth largest value in a dataset?
- MAX
- LARGE (Correct answer)
- RANK
- HIGH
Correct answer: LARGE
LARGE(range, n) returns the nth largest value, so LARGE(A1:A10, 2) returns the second-highest value.
Question 4: What does the RANK function return in Google Sheets?
- Sorts a range from smallest to largest
- Returns the rank of a specified number within a list (Correct answer)
- Counts how many items are in the list
- Highlights the highest value in a range
Correct answer: Returns the rank of a specified number within a list
RANK(value, range, [order]) returns where the specified value falls among all values in the range.
Question 5: Which function counts cells in a range that meet a single specified criterion?
- COUNT
- COUNTA
- COUNTIF (Correct answer)
- COUNTBLANK
Correct answer: COUNTIF
COUNTIF(range, criterion) counts only the cells matching the given condition, such as values greater than 50.
Question 6: What does the AVERAGEIF function do in Google Sheets?
- Returns the average of all cells in a range regardless of content
- Returns the average of cells that meet a specified condition (Correct answer)
- Counts the cells that satisfy a given condition
- Sums only the cells that meet a given condition
Correct answer: Returns the average of cells that meet a specified condition
AVERAGEIF(range, criterion, [average_range]) averages only those cells whose corresponding range cells meet the criterion.
Question 7: Which function returns the nth smallest value in a dataset?
- MIN
- SMALL (Correct answer)
- LOW
- RANK
Correct answer: SMALL
SMALL(range, n) returns the nth smallest value, so SMALL(A1:A10, 3) returns the third-lowest value.
Which function calculates the standard deviation based on a sample (not the entire population)?