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CHIDIST

The CHIDIST function calculates the one-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution. It is commonly used in hypothesis testing to determine whether there is a significant difference between expected and observed values in a contingency table or to test the goodness of fit of an observed distribution to a theoretical distribution.

Usage

Use the CHIDIST formula with the syntax shown below, it has 2 required parameters:

=CHIDIST(x, degrees_freedom)
Parameters:
  1. x (required):
    The value at which to evaluate the distribution. Must be greater than or equal to 0.
  2. degrees_freedom (required):
    The degrees of freedom of the chi-squared distribution. Must be an integer greater than or equal to 1.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the CHIDIST formula in Google Sheets.

Testing independence in a contingency table

By comparing the test statistic calculated from the observed values in a contingency table to the critical value of the chi-squared distribution with the appropriate degrees of freedom, the CHIDIST function can determine whether there is a significant difference between expected and observed values, indicating a potential dependence between the variables.

Goodness of fit test

The CHIDIST function can be used to test the goodness of fit of an observed distribution to a theoretical distribution by comparing the test statistic calculated from the observed values to the critical value of the chi-squared distribution with the appropriate degrees of freedom.

Common Mistakes

CHIDIST not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the CHIDIST Google Sheets Formula:

Not providing numerical values for x and degrees_freedom

The CHIDIST formula requires numerical values for both x and degrees of freedom. If text or other non-numerical values are provided, the formula will return an error. Double check that the input values are numerical and formatted correctly.

Providing an incorrect number of arguments

The CHIDIST formula requires two arguments: x and degrees of freedom. If more or less than two arguments are provided, the formula will return an error. Double check that the formula is written correctly and that the correct number of arguments are provided.

Using the wrong degrees of freedom

The CHIDIST formula calculates the probability of a chi-square distribution with a given number of degrees of freedom. Make sure that the degrees of freedom provided match the correct distribution for the problem you are trying to solve.

Using a negative value for degrees of freedom

Degrees of freedom must be a positive value. If a negative value is provided, the formula will return an error. Double check that the correct value is provided and that it is positive.

Providing an x value outside the range of the chi-square distribution

The CHIDIST formula calculates the probability of a chi-square distribution for a given x value and degrees of freedom. If the x value provided is outside the range of the distribution, the formula will return an error. Double check that the x value provided is within the range of the distribution for the given degrees of freedom.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to CHIDIST or are often used with it in a formula:

  • CHIINV

    The CHIINV function returns the inverse of the right-tailed probability of the chi-squared distribution. This function is commonly used to test the goodness of fit of a statistical model. The function takes in two arguments, the probability and the degrees of freedom.

  • CHITEST

    The CHITEST function returns the test for independence. It tests the hypothesis that the categorical data in the observed range came from a distribution with the specified expected probabilities. This function is commonly used in statistical analysis to determine if two categorical variables are independent or not.

  • CONFIDENCE

    The CONFIDENCE function calculates the confidence value for a population mean. This is often used in statistical analysis to determine the range in which a population mean is likely to fall. The function takes three parameters: the significance level (alpha), the standard deviation of the population (standard_deviation), and the size of the population (pop_size).

  • TTEST

    The TTEST formula is a statistical formula used to determine the probability of two sample means being equal. It is commonly used in hypothesis testing to determine if there is a significant difference between two sets of data. The formula returns the probability value associated with a t-test, which can be used to determine if the null hypothesis should be rejected or not.

Learn More

You can learn more about the CHIDIST Google Sheets function on Google Support.