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Statistical function

NORM.S.DIST

Returns the standard normal distribution for a z-score.

OccasionalDifficulty 1400 · AdvancedUsage rank #217 of 520
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When to use it

The standard normal distribution (mean 0, sd 1). Give it a z-score and get the cumulative probability or the density.

The shape of it

Syntax
=NORM.S.DIST(z, cumulative)

Worked examples

  • Cumulative

    =NORM.S.DIST(1.96,TRUE) → 0.975002105

    The classic 97.5% point.

  • The median

    =NORM.S.DIST(0,TRUE) → 0.5

    Half the distribution lies below the mean.

  • Density

    =NORM.S.DIST(0,FALSE) → 0.39894228

    Peak density.

Worth knowing

  • Two-tailed p-value for a z statistic: 2*(1-NORM.S.DIST(ABS(z),TRUE)).
  • STANDARDIZE turns any value into a z-score first.
  • NORM.S.INV is the inverse.

Where it goes wrong

  • The cumulative argument is required, unlike the old NORMSDIST.
  • Passing a raw value rather than a z-score gives nonsense.

Related

AVERAGECOUNTCOUNTACOUNTIFCOUNTIFSMAX

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