This table shows useful Excel functions for working with discrete probability distributions including binomial, geometric, negative binomial, Poisson, and uniform.
| Distribution | Excel Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Binomial | =BINOM.DIST(x, n, p, cumulative) |
P(X=3) out of 10 trials with p=0.4:=BINOM.DIST(3, 10, 0.4, FALSE) |
| Negative Binomial | =NEGBINOM.DIST(x, r, p) |
P(4 failures before 3rd success, p=0.5):=NEGBINOM.DIST(4, 3, 0.5) |
| Geometric | =GEOMEAN(range) (for geometric mean)No built-in distribution |
Simulate: P(first success on trial 4) with p=0.3: Manual: =(1-0.3)^3 * 0.3 |
| Poisson | =POISSON.DIST(x, mean, cumulative) |
P(X≤2) for mean = 3:=POISSON.DIST(2, 3, TRUE) |
| Discrete Uniform | Manual: =1/n for each value |
For fair die: P(X=3) = =1/6 |
| Expected Value | =SUMPRODUCT(x_range, p_range) |
Use A2:A6 for outcomes and B2:B6 for probabilities:=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A6, B2:B6) |
| Variance | =SUMPRODUCT(p_range, (x_range - mean)^2) (manual) |
Use helper column for (X - μ)^2 * P(X) |
| CDF Plot | Use cumulative probabilities in chart | In column C: cumulative sum of B2:B6, then insert line chart |