Statistical

BETA.DIST Function in Excel

Returns the beta cumulative distribution function.

Syntax

  • =BETA.DIST(x, alpha, beta, cumulative, [A], [B])

Arguments

  • x (required): Value to evaluate
  • alpha (required): Alpha parameter
  • beta (required): Beta parameter
  • cumulative (required): TRUE for CDF, FALSE for PDF
  • A (optional): Lower bound (default 0)
  • B (optional): Upper bound (default 1)

Examples

  • =BETA.DIST(0.5, 2, 3, TRUE) - Beta CDF - Result: 0.6875

BETA.DIST for data analysis

  • Confirm whether you need entire columns, filtered subsets, or distinct values.
  • Use [COUNTIFS](/functions/countifs/) and [SUMIFS](/functions/sumifs/) for multi-criteria metrics.
  • Pivot tables complement single-cell statistical formulas for exploration.

Common errors

  • #NUM! if parameters invalid

Use cases

  • Probability modeling
  • Project management
  • Statistical analysis

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the FILTERXML function in Excel? FILTERXML extracts specific data from XML content using XPath expressions. It's a web function that parses XML and returns matching elements, useful for processing web data and APIs.
  • How do I use FILTERXML to parse XML data? Use =FILTERXML(xml, xpath) where xml is the XML content and xpath is the query. For example, =FILTERXML(A1, "//item/name") extracts all name elements from items.
  • Do I need to know XPath to use FILTERXML? Basic XPath knowledge helps, but simple queries work well. Use // for any level, / for direct children, and [@attribute] for attributes. Many online XPath tutorials can help.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.