[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-488729-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-488729-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","how-to-calculate-z-scores-z-scores-guide","How To Calculate z-scores - z-scores guide","","Step-by-step instructions for computing z-scores from a dataset of sleep hours using spreadsheet tools. The guide explains how to calculate mean and standard deviation, then build the z-score formula as (DataValue-Mean)/StDev. It highlights absolute cell markers ($) to keep references fixed when formulas are copied, and demonstrates shortcut methods in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets and Apple Numbers to fill an entire Z-Scores column. It also emphasizes using three decimal places for z-scores.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/how-to-calculate-z-scores-z-scores-guide/488729/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-calculate-z-scores-z-scores-guide/488729.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Mafia Boss","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-10-01",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What formula is used to compute a z-score?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The z-score formula is (DataValue-Mean)/StDev. In the example, the first value uses =(A2-$D$2)/$E$2.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why do the dollar signs ($) matter in the spreadsheet formula?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Dollar signs create absolute markers so the formula always references the same mean cell and the same standard deviation cell, even after copying.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How can you calculate all remaining z-scores efficiently in Excel or Google Sheets?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Copy the formula cell (e.g., B2), then place the cursor on the bottom left corner until a cross appears, double-click, and drag down the column to fill the Z-Scores values.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},488729,1790816654,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,104,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":105,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":30,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":110,"preview_page_count":4},962090760730,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","How To Calculate z-scores in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Apple Numbers  \nChelsea Andrews, M.S.  \nLet's say we've collected data on the number of hours that each member of a sample of college students sleep each night. In Figure 1 below, these data are illustrated in Column A with the Column Heading \"Sleep (in hours) .”  \nFirst, we need to calculate the Mean (illustrated in cell D2 in Figure 1 below) and the Standard Deviation (illustrated in cell E2 below) because we’ll need the Mean and Standard Deviation to calculate the z-score of each value in our data set.  \nThen, to calculate each z-score, we first create a new Column Header called Z-Scores, as illustrated in Column B of Figure 1 below. Next we build a formula.  \nThe formula for computing a z-score is =(DataValue-Mean)/StDev. For example, to compute a zscore for the first value in our data set, we use the formula =(A2-$D$2)/$E$2 as Figure 1 illustrates.  \nNotice the dollar signs $ in the formula. These dollar signs are what are known as absolute markers. They tell the formula to always look in a specific cell for a value, even if the formula is copied into another cell. For example, with the formula =(A2-$D$2)/$E$2 , our formula will always look in cell D2 for the Mean and always look in cell E2 for the Standard Deviation.  \nWhen we use the dollars signs, we need to place a dollar sign around both the letter and the number of a cell name. For example, we need to place a dollar sign around both the letter D and the number 2 (e.g. , $D$2) to tell the formula to always look in cell D2 for the Mean.  \nOnce we’ve calculated the z-score for the first data value in our data set, we can calculate the zscores for all the other values. Because we used the dollar signs in our formula to tell our formula to always look in a specific cell for the Mean and to always look in another specific cell for the Standard Deviation, we can take advantage of a short cut to compute all the other z-values.  \nShortcut in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets:  \nTo compute all the other z-scores,first, first we click on the cell that contains the formula we want to copy (in this example, B2) .  \nSecond, we place our cursor over the bottom left corner of the cell until across appears.  \nThird, once the cross appears, we double-click the cross and drag it down the column.  \nAs we drag the cross down Column B, z-scores for each value in our data set will be computed for each data value in our Column A!  \nShortcut in Apple Numbers:  \nTo compute all the other z-scores,first, we click on the cell that contains the formula we want to copy (in this example, the cell is B2) .  \nSecond, we place our cursor over the bottom center of the cell until a vertical line with arrows appears.  \nThird, once the vertical line with arrows appears, we click and drag downward to select all of the cells we want to compute z-scores for.  \nAs we drag down the Column B, zscores will be computed for each value in our Column A!  \nIMPORTANT: To adhere to good scientific practice, we want to always use three decimals places for our z-scores (and for any other time we use decimals) . We can use the tool provided by each of our data management systems. Those tools are outlined in purple in Figure 4 (below) .  \nFigure 4-Excel  \nFigure 4-Google Sheets","cbCaijahkoZHrXN3","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijahkoZHrXN3","pdf",749703,"English","# Calculate mean and standard deviation\n## Build the z-score formula\n# Use absolute cell markers\n## Copy formulas safely\n# Fill z-scores using shortcuts\n## Excel/Google Sheets\n## Apple Numbers\n# Format z-scores to three decimals","[{\"question\":\"What formula is used to compute a z-score?\",\"answer\":\"The z-score formula is (DataValue-Mean)/StDev. In the example, the first value uses =(A2-$D$2)/$E$2.\"},{\"question\":\"Why do the dollar signs ($) matter in the spreadsheet formula?\",\"answer\":\"Dollar signs create absolute markers so the formula always references the same mean cell and the same standard deviation cell, even after copying.\"},{\"question\":\"How can you calculate all remaining z-scores efficiently in Excel or Google Sheets?\",\"answer\":\"Copy the formula cell (e.g., B2), then place the cursor on the bottom left corner until a cross appears, double-click, and drag down the column to fill the Z-Scores values.\"}]","How To Calculate z-scores - z-scores guide | PDF"]