NORMDIST

Calculates the normal distribution probability for a specific value based on a given mean and standard deviation.

The NORMDIST function calculates the normal distribution for a specified mean and standard deviation. It is used to determine the probability that a variable falls at or below a certain value, providing either the cumulative distribution function (CDF) or the probability density function (PDF).

Syntax

NORMDIST(x, mean, std_dev, cumulative)

Arguments

The NORMDIST function syntax has the following required arguments:

• x - The value for which you want the distribution. Required.

• mean - The arithmetic mean of the distribution. Required.

• std_dev - The standard deviation of the distribution. Required.

• cumulative - A logical value that determines the form of the function. If TRUE, it returns the cumulative distribution function; if FALSE, it returns the probability density function. Required.

Example

NORMDIST(42, 40, 1.5, true)
// Returns 0.9087

You can use the NORMDIST function to analyze the probability of specific outcomes in datasets that follow a bell curve, such as predicting the likelihood of a project hitting a specific revenue target or analyzing test scores.

NORMDIST function

Excel Equivalent

NORMDIST

FAQs

Q1. What is the difference between the cumulative distribution function (CDF) and the probability density function (PDF)?

• The CDF (cumulative = TRUE) calculates the total area under the curve to the left of x, representing the probability that a value is less than or equal to x.

• The PDF (cumulative = FALSE) calculates the height of the curve at a specific point x, which describes the relative likelihood of the variable taking that exact value.