HYPGEOMDIST (hypergeometric distribution)

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HYPGEOMDIST (hypergeometric distribution)

Note: HYPGEOMDIST is supplemented by the new function HYPGEOM.DIST with additional functionality, which is available in newer versions of Microsoft Excel (2010 or later).

Syntax:

HYPGEOMDIST(k, n, K, N)

Description:

Returns the hypergeometric distribution.

The hypergeometric distribution can be used to calculate the probability to, for example, obtain k red balls when randomly drawing n balls (without replacement) from an urn containing N balls, with K of them red balls.

k is the number of successes in the sample (success = drawing a red ball).

n is the size of the sample (the number of balls to be drawn)

K is the total number of successes in the population (the total number of red balls).

N is the size of the population (the total number of balls).

All of these values should be integers. Digits right of the decimal point are ignored by PlanMaker.

Example:

An urn contains 10 balls (N=10) with 2 of them red (K=2). To determine the probability to obtain exactly 1 red ball (k=1) when drawing 5 balls (n=5), use the following calculation:

HYPGEOMDIST(1, 5, 2, 10) returns 0.55556

See also:

HYPGEOM.DIST, NEGBINOM.DIST/NEGBINOMDIST