NORMDIST

Archived content. No warranty is made as to technical accuracy. Content may contain URLs that were valid when originally published, but now link to sites or pages that no longer exist.

Returns the normal distribution for the specified mean and standard deviation. This function has a very wide range of applications in statistics, including hypothesis testing.

Syntax

NORMDIST ( x , mean , standard_dev , cumulative )

X is the value for which you want the distribution.

Mean is the arithmetic mean of the distribution.

Standard_dev is the standard deviation of the distribution.

Cumulative is a logical value that determines the form of the function. If cumulative is TRUE, NORMDIST returns the cumulative distribution function; if FALSE, it returns the probability mass function.

Remarks

  • If mean or standard_dev is nonnumeric, NORMDIST returns the #VALUE! error value.

  • If standard_dev 0, NORMDIST returns the #NUM! error value.

  • If mean = 0, standard_dev = 1, and cumulative = TRUE, NORMDIST returns the standard normal distribution, NORMSDIST.

  • The equation for the normal density function (cumulative = FALSE) is:

    Cc722966.ZA060512131033(en-us,TechNet.10).gif

  • When cumulative = TRUE, the formula is the integral from negative infinity to x of the given formula.

Example

X

Mean

StdDev

Formula

Description (Result)

42

40

1.5

=NORMDIST([X],[Mean],[StdDev],TRUE)

Cumulative distribution function for the specified arguments (0.908789)

42

40

1.5

=NORMDIST([X],[Mean],[StdDev],FALSE)

Probability mass function for the specified arguments (0.10934005)