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Statistical function

BINOM.DIST

Returns the binomial distribution probability.

Rarely usedDifficulty 1450 · AdvancedUsage rank #365 of 520
Practice · 2 questions →

When to use it

The binomial distribution: the probability of a number of successes in a fixed number of independent trials. Cumulative TRUE gives "that many or fewer".

The shape of it

Syntax
=BINOM.DIST(number_s, trials, probability_s, cumulative)

Worked examples

  • Exactly six

    =BINOM.DIST(6,10,0.5,FALSE) → 0.205078125

    Exactly 6 heads in 10 coin flips.

  • Six or fewer

    =BINOM.DIST(6,10,0.5,TRUE) → 0.828125

    Six or fewer heads.

  • Zero defects

    =BINOM.DIST(0,20,0.02,FALSE) → 0.667607679

    No defects in 20 units at a 2% defect rate.

Worth knowing

  • "At least k" is 1 - BINOM.DIST(k-1,n,p,TRUE).
  • BINOM.DIST.RANGE gives the probability for a range of successes directly.
  • For large n and small p, POISSON.DIST approximates it.

Where it goes wrong

  • #NUM! when number_s exceeds trials or p is outside 0 to 1.
  • Non-integers are truncated.

Related

AVERAGECOUNTCOUNTACOUNTIFCOUNTIFSMAX

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