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In this article
BINOM.DIST handles yes/no events with a fixed chance — defects in a batch, customers who convert.
Syntax
=BINOM.DIST(number_s, trials, probability_s, cumulative)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
cumulative |
TRUE = at most k. |
Examples
Example 1
=BINOM.DIST(3, 10, 0.2, FALSE)About 20%: exactly 3 of 10 leads convert when each has a 20% chance.
BINOM.DIST in practice
Where you will use it
- Chance of exactly k defects in a batch
- Probability of at least k sales from n calls
- A/B test sanity checks
Worked example
| Successes | Trials | p | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 10 | 0.1 | =ROUND(BINOM.DIST(A2,B2,C2,FALSE),4) | 0.1937 |
| 0 | 20 | 0.05 | =ROUND(BINOM.DIST(A3,B3,C3,FALSE),4) | 0.3585 |
| 5 | 10 | 0.5 | =ROUND(BINOM.DIST(A4,B4,C4,FALSE),4) | 0.2461 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Cumulative flag | FALSE = exactly k, TRUE = k or fewer |
| At least k | Use 1-BINOM.DIST(k-1,n,p,TRUE) |
Related functions
POISSON.DIST · NORM.DIST
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Statistics advanced33 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 36 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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