The Excel FTEST function returns the two-tailed probability that the variances of two data sets are not significantly different. It is the legacy name of F.TEST, introduced in Excel 2010.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
array1 | Required | The first range or array of data. |
array2 | Required | The second range or array of data. |
How to use it
FTEST compares the variances of two samples and returns the two-tailed p-value of an F-test — the probability that the two variances are equal. A small p-value suggests the variances genuinely differ.
Here the high p-value (about 0.65) means there is no evidence the two groups have different variances. FTEST is often a preliminary check before choosing the right two-sample t-test.
Use F.TEST instead: =F.TEST({6,7,9,15,21},{20,28,31,38,40}) in Excel 2010+ returns the same p-value. FTEST is retained only for backward compatibility.
Try it: interactive demo
Pick a FTEST example to see the formula and its result.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
What is the modern replacement for FTEST?
F.TEST, added in Excel 2010, with the same two arguments. =F.TEST(array1,array2) equals =FTEST(array1,array2).What does FTEST return — a statistic or a p-value?
How do I interpret the result?
When would I use FTEST?
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