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BINOM.DIST

The BINOM.DIST function in Google Sheets is a statistical tool used to calculate the probability of a certain number of successes in a fixed number of trials. By providing the number of successes, number of trials, probability of success, and whether the distribution should be cumulative or not, you can utilize the BINOM.DIST function for various statistical calculations. Learn how to effectively use this function with our comprehensive guide.

Function Syntax and Parameters

Syntax: BINOM.DIST(num_successes, num_trials, prob_success, cumulative)

Parameters:

  • num_successes: The number of successful outcomes required.
  • num_trials: The number of independent trials.
  • prob_success: The probability of success for each trial.
  • cumulative: A logical value, either TRUE or FALSE, indicating whether the cumulative distribution function should be used.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

  1. Calculating the probability of a specific number of successes:

    • Example: =BINOM.DIST(3, 5, 0.5, FALSE)
    • Result: The probability of getting exactly 3 successful outcomes in 5 trials with a success probability of 0.5 is 0.3125.

  2. Calculating the cumulative probability of a range of successes:

    • Example: =BINOM.DIST(3, 5, 0.5, TRUE)
    • Result: The cumulative probability of getting 3 or fewer successful outcomes in 5 trials with a success probability of 0.5 is 0.8125.

Use Cases and Scenarios

  1. Quality Control: Probability of a certain number of defective products in a sample.
  2. Biostatistics: Probability of a specific number of patients experiencing side effects from a drug.
  3. Sports Analytics: Probability of a team winning a certain number of games in a season.

Related Functions

  • BINOM.INV: Calculate the smallest value for which the cumulative binomial distribution is less than or equal to a specified criterion.
  • BINOM.DIST.RANGE: Calculate the probability of a range of successes in a fixed number of trials.

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