NORMDIST

• How to use NORMDIST formula?
• Examples of using NORMDIST formula
• NORMDIST formula not working?
• Similar formulas to NORMDIST

Usage

Use the NORMDIST formula with the syntax shown below, it has 3 required parameters and 1 optional parameter:

=NORMDIST(x, mean, standard_deviation, cumulative)

1. x (required):
   The value for which you want to calculate the distribution.
2. mean (required):
   The arithmetic mean of the distribution.
3. standard_deviation (required):
   The standard deviation of the distribution.
4. cumulative (optional):
   A boolean value that determines the form of the function. If TRUE or omitted, NORMDIST returns the cumulative distribution function; if FALSE, it returns the probability density function.

Examples

Calculate the probability of a value occurring within a range

By using the NORMDIST function, you can calculate the probability of a value occurring within a specific range of a normal distribution. This is useful in finance and science to make predictions based on historical data.

Calculate the probability of a value occurring above or below a certain point

You can use the NORMDIST function to calculate the probability of a value occurring above or below a certain point of a normal distribution. This is useful in finance and science to analyze data and make predictions.

Calculate the cumulative distribution function

By setting the 'cumulative' argument to TRUE or omitting it, NORMDIST returns the cumulative distribution function. This function can be used to calculate the probability of a value being less than or equal to a specific point in a normal distribution.

Calculate the probability density function

By setting the 'cumulative' argument to FALSE, NORMDIST returns the probability density function. This function can be used to calculate the probability of a value occurring at a specific point in a normal distribution.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect use of parameters

One common mistake is using the parameters in the wrong order or with incorrect values. For example, using the standard deviation as the mean or vice versa, or using a cumulative value outside the range of 0 to 1.

Not understanding what the cumulative parameter does

The cumulative parameter in the NORMDIST formula allows you to calculate the probability of a value being less than or equal to a certain number. Some users may not understand the purpose of this parameter and not use it correctly.

Not providing all required parameters

The NORMDIST formula requires four parameters to work correctly. If one or more of these parameters are missing, the formula will not return the correct result.

Not understanding the output

The NORMDIST formula calculates the probability of a value occurring within a normal distribution. Some users may not understand what this output means or how to interpret it.

Not using the formula within the context of a larger analysis

The NORMDIST formula is just one part of a larger statistical analysis. Some users may use the formula in isolation without understanding how it fits into the larger picture.

Related Formulas

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

• NORMINV

  The NORMINV function returns the inverse of the normal cumulative distribution for a specified value, mean, and standard deviation. It is commonly used in statistics to find the value at which a given percentage of observations lie below that value.

• NORMSDIST

  The NORMSDIST function returns the area under a normal distribution curve to the left of a specified value. This function is commonly used in statistics to calculate probabilities.

• NORMSINV

  The NORMSINV function calculates the inverse of the standard normal cumulative distribution for a specified value of x. It is commonly used in statistical analysis to transform data from a normal distribution to a standard normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.

• STDEV

  The STDEV function calculates the standard deviation of a set of numbers. It measures the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values from the average (mean) value. It is commonly used in statistics to determine the spread of a data set. The values can be supplied as individual cells, ranges, or constants.

Learn More

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