VAR.P Function in LibreOffice Calc — Tested Examples

Statistical Beginner LibreOffice Calc

An explanation of LibreOffice Calc VAR.P, including tested formulas, examples, expected results and common mistakes.

Tested: Examples checked in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2. What this means

Calculates variance based on the entire population. For the complete population 2,4,6, the variance is 8/3, roughly 2.667.

Syntax and arguments

=VAR.P(Number_)

LibreOffice Calc formulas generally separate arguments with semicolons (;).

Argument Explanation
Number Number 1, number 2, … are numerical arguments which represent a population.

Worked examples

Example 1: Calculate population variance

=VAR.P(2;4;6)

Expected result: 2.6666666666666665. This value was returned in the LibreOffice Calc 25.2 test.

Example 2: Population variance of 1, 2, 3

=VAR.P(1;2;3)

Expected result: 0.6666666666666666. This value was returned in the LibreOffice Calc 25.2 test.

How to interpret the result

For the complete population 2,4,6, the variance is 8/3, roughly 2.667.

Mistakes and troubleshooting

  • Check inputs and assumptions: Population variance uses n, not n−1. Report the definition clearly.
  • Check argument order and format: Strings go in quotes, cell references do not. Functions that return arrays may require special entry.
  • Verify your own data: Reproduce the example first. If your formula returns an error, inspect the referenced cells and individual argument values.

COUNT · AVERAGE · SUM

Tested version and primary reference

2 example(s) on this page passed real calculations in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2. This is not a claim about every possible input or other spreadsheet applications.