BINOM.DIST in Collabora Office: Distinguish Exact Counts From Cumulative Counts
Use Collabora BINOM.DIST for independent fixed-count trials, calculate upper tails correctly and verify probabilities by enumeration.
Verification status: See the evidence and test scope described in this guide. How formula examples are checked
Quick answer: =BINOM.DIST(3;5;0.4;0) has independently expected result 0.2304. It is the probability of exactly three successes in five independent trials with success probability 0.4 each.
Syntax and trial assumptions
=BINOM.DIST(X; Trials; SP; C)
X is the success count, Trials the number of independent trials, SP the success probability for each trial, and C selects the result. C=0 returns the probability of exactly X successes; C=1 returns the probability of at most X successes. All four arguments are required.
For the worked examples, use whole-number counts with 0≤X≤Trials and 0≤SP≤1. The model assumes a fixed number of independent trials, two outcomes per trial, and an unchanged success probability. The function does not check whether a real process satisfies those assumptions.
Example 1: reconstruct one count probability
Put 3, 5, 0.4, 0 in B2:B5, labeled Successes, Trials, Success probability and Cumulative flag. Calculate =BINOM.DIST(B2;B3;B4;B5) in B7.
The independent calculation is COMBIN(5;3)×0.4³×0.6² = 10×0.064×0.36 = 0.2304. Ten distinct success/failure arrangements contain exactly three successes, and each arrangement has probability 0.4³×0.6².
This is a discrete probability mass. Unlike a continuous density, it can be interpreted directly as the probability of that exact count.
Example 2: build the full distribution
Enter counts 0 through 5 in A10:A15. In B10 enter =BINOM.DIST(A10;5;0.4;0) and fill down. Independent targets are 0.07776, 0.2592, 0.3456, 0.2304, 0.0768, 0.01024.
Their sum is 1. In C10 enter =BINOM.DIST(A10;5;0.4;1) and fill down. The cumulative column is increasing and ends at one. At X=3, its target is 0.91296, the sum of counts zero through three.
Advanced application: compute an upper tail without an off-by-one error
“At least three” includes counts 3, 4 and 5. Use =1-BINOM.DIST(2;5;0.4;1), independently 0.31744.
By contrast, =1-BINOM.DIST(3;5;0.4;1) gives 0.08704, the probability of more than three. Because the variable is discrete, the difference is the nonzero probability of exactly three, 0.2304.
For an inclusive interval from two through four, subtract the cumulative probability through one from the cumulative probability through four. The independent result is 0.6528. Write the endpoint words beside the formula to make inclusion rules auditable.
Advanced application: test the model before using its result
A fixed batch of five independent trials fits this counting structure. Sampling five objects without replacement from a small finite collection generally changes the success probability after each draw; a simple binomial model may then be inappropriate.
Likewise, shared causes can make trial outcomes dependent. A precise-looking output does not establish independence. Keep the assumptions next to the input table rather than hiding them in an explanatory footnote.
Errors and troubleshooting
The dedicated help does not settle all fractional-count coercion or native error-code cases. Validate whole-number counts and probabilities explicitly for this guide. Do not pass 40 when the intended probability is 40%.
If a cumulative result is mistaken for an exact-count result, check C first. If totals fail to sum to one, check that the complete integer range from zero through Trials was included and that every row uses the same SP and Trials.
Availability and verification
The exact function is documented in Collabora Office 26.04 desktop help. Its source snapshot was retrieved on 2026-10-13 and hash-verified for this guide on October 15, 2026. Desktop documentation is not proof of Online or mobile support.
First introduced release and last functioning version are unknown. No native Collabora or WPS run occurred. The numerical values are independent mathematical expectations; they do not certify application-specific numerical tolerances, error codes or every edge case. Formulas use English names and semicolon separators.
The dedicated help identifies the namespace COM.MICROSOFT.BINOM.DIST and says this function is outside the cited OpenFormula 1.3 standard. That is a format-namespace disclosure, not evidence of identical behavior in another product. Retain the exact dotted name when checking an imported workbook.