Microsoft Knowledge Base

Excel: Using the BINOMDIST() Function
Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q100121
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 4.0

SUMMARY

The BINOMDIST() function returns the individual term binomial distribution probability.

When you use the BINOMDIST function, you make the following three assumptions:

  • The outcome of each trial is only success or failure.

    -and-

  • The trials are independent.

    -and-

  • The probability of success is constant throughout the experiment.

MORE INFORMATION

The following is the syntax for the BINOMDIST() function, 

   BINOMDIST(number_s,trials,probability_s,cumulative)
where: 

   NUMBER_S is the number of successes in trials

   TRIALS is the number of independent trials

   PROBABILITY_S is the probability of success on each trial

   CUMULATIVE is a logical value that determines the form of the
   function
If cumulative is TRUE, then BINOMDIST() returns the cumulative distribution function, which is the probability that there are at most number_s successes; if FALSE, it returns the probability mass function, which is the probability that there are number_s successes.

If number_s <0 or number_s> trials, BINOMDIST() returns #NUM.

If probability_s <0 or probability_s> 1, BINOMDIST() returns #NUM.

For example, in a population of software engineers, 9 out of 10 recommend 5.25-inch disks. What is the probability of choosing two engineers at random and finding that neither of them recommends 5.25-inch disks?

To calculate the following values in a BINOMDIST() function, 

   number_s      = 0
   trials        = 2
   probability_s = 0.9
   cumulative    = false
you would use the formula, BINOMDIST(0,2,0.9,false). This formula returns a result of 0.01 or 1%.

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Additional reference words: statistical statistics 4.00 4.00a 5.00



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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
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