Statistical
NEGBINOM.DIST Function in Excel
Returns the negative binomial distribution.
Syntax
- =NEGBINOM.DIST(number_f, number_s, probability_s, cumulative)
Arguments
- number_f (required): Number of failures
- number_s (required): Threshold number of successes
- probability_s (required): Probability of success
- cumulative (required): TRUE for CDF, FALSE for PMF
Examples
- =NEGBINOM.DIST(10, 5, 0.25, FALSE) - Negative binomial probability - Result: 0.055
NEGBINOM.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
- Failure analysis
- Quality control
- Waiting time problems
Frequently asked questions
- What is NEGBINOM.DIST used for? NEGBINOM.DIST calculates the probability of having a specific number of failures before achieving a target number of successes. Use it for questions like 'What's the probability of 3 defects before finding 10 good items?' or modeling trials until success.
- How is negative binomial different from binomial? Binomial: fixed number of trials, count successes. Negative binomial: fixed number of successes needed, count failures until reaching that target. Use binomial for 'how many successes in n trials'; use negative binomial for 'how many failures before k successes'.
- What's a practical example of NEGBINOM.DIST? Quality control: If 25% of items pass inspection, what's the probability of exactly 10 failures before getting 5 good items? =NEGBINOM.DIST(10, 5, 0.25, FALSE). This models the 'waiting time' until achieving the required number of successes.
Editorial review
- Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.