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ERF.PRECISE

The ERF.PRECISE function returns the error function integrated between the specified lower bound and upper bound.

The error function is used to calculate the probability of a value falling within a certain range of values.

Usage

Use the ERF.PRECISE formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter and 1 optional parameter:

=ERF.PRECISE(lower_bound, [upper_bound])
Parameters:
  1. lower_bound (required):
    The lower bound of the integration. Must be a numeric value.
  2. upper_bound (optional):
    The upper bound of the integration. If omitted, the upper bound is assumed to be 0. Must be a numeric value.

Examples

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

Calculate probability of a value within a range

Using ERF.PRECISE, you can calculate the probability of a value falling within a certain range of values.

Calculate standard normal distribution

ERF.PRECISE can be used to calculate the standard normal distribution, where the lower bound is -infinity and the upper bound is the z-score.

Calculate complementary error function

By subtracting the ERF.PRECISE result from 1, you can calculate the complementary error function.

Common Mistakes

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

Using invalid arguments

Make sure the lower_bound is less than the upper_bound and that both arguments are numeric values.

Omitting arguments

Both lower_bound and upper_bound are required arguments. Make sure to include them in the formula.

Using non-numeric values

The arguments must be numeric values. Check that the cells or values being used are formatted as numbers.

Incorrectly ordering arguments

The first argument should be the lower_bound and the second argument should be the upper_bound. Double check that the arguments are in the correct order.

Confusing ERF with ERF.PRECISE

ERF is a similar function but it returns an approximate result. Make sure you're using ERF.PRECISE if you need an exact result.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to ERF.PRECISE or are often used with it in a formula:

  • ERF

    The ERF function calculates the error function of a given value. The error function returns the probability of a normal variable with a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one falling between two values. This function is commonly used in statistics and engineering applications.

  • ERFC

    The ERFC function calculates the complementary error function of a given value, which is defined as 1 minus the error function. The error function represents the probability of a value being within a certain range of a normally distributed random variable. The complementary error function is often used in statistics and engineering applications to model random variables and calculate probabilities.

  • NORMDIST

    The NORMDIST function in Google Sheets calculates the normal distribution for a specified value, mean, and standard deviation. It returns the probability of a value occurring within a specified range of a normal distribution. It is commonly used in statistics, finance, and science to analyze data and make predictions.

  • NORM.S.DIST

    The NORM.S.DIST function returns the standard normal cumulative distribution function. It calculates the probability that a random variable with a standard normal distribution is less than or equal to x. This function is commonly used in statistical analysis and hypothesis testing.

Learn More

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