BESSELK in WPS Spreadsheet: Modified Bessel K Values
Calculate WPS BESSELK for positive arguments and explicit integer orders; compare the decaying K kernel without assuming zero-domain behavior.
Verification status: See the evidence and test scope described in this guide. How formula examples are checked
Quick answer: =BESSELK(1,1) has independent expected value 0.6019072302. BESSELK evaluates the modified Bessel function of the second kind, Kₙ(x).
Syntax and inputs
=BESSELK(x,n)
Both arguments are required. x is the numeric argument and n is the order. Supply the order explicitly; it is not an optional precision setting. The lesson says noninteger orders are truncated, but the reproducible examples below use positive integers, avoiding dependence on truncation and borderline inputs.
Use positive x for this worked table. It is a deliberately small domain for comparing the documented kernel, not a certification of extreme-argument accuracy or all real inputs. A Bessel value is a real numeric result here, not complex text.
Build a two-order worksheet
- In a fresh sheet, put
x,OrderandResultin A1:C1. - Enter the numeric x and order values below in columns A and B.
- Enter
=BESSELK(A2,B2)in C2. Copy it down through C5, keeping both references relative. - Compare the results with these independently calculated reference values; round only for display.
| Row | A: x | B: order | Formula in C, preceded by = | Expected value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | BESSELK(A2,B2) |
0.6019072302 |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | BESSELK(A3,B3) |
0.1398658818 |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | BESSELK(A4,B4) |
1.6248388986 |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | BESSELK(A5,B5) |
0.2537597546 |
Rows 2 and 3 hold the order fixed while changing x. Rows 2 and 4 hold x fixed while changing the order. This separates two effects that would be mixed together if every input changed at once. The first row also agrees mathematically with the literal formula in the quick answer.
Interpreting this particular kernel
For order 1 in this table, K falls from approximately 0.6019072302 at x = 1 to 0.1398658818 at x = 2. This differs sharply from the growing I function. Changing the order also changes the value; do not treat the second argument as display precision.
The lesson prints K in terms of J and Y evaluated at an imaginary argument, with a phase factor. This specifies the mathematical kernel, not a request to pass complex strings to BESSELK. The actual lesson table uses real numeric inputs, including x = 2.5 and order 2 with result approximately 0.121460207. Independent evaluation gives approximately 0.121460206279; the historical display is corroboration of the kernel, not a precision benchmark.
Advanced check: compare values without changing their meaning
Normalize the order-1 value at x = 2 by its value at x = 1. The ratio is approximately 0.2323711609. This can compare two positions in a prescribed mathematical profile. It does not establish a physical attenuation law by itself: the equation, units and boundary conditions must already be chosen independently.
Keep the original x and order beside every result. A chart of just the output column loses the distinction between changing the argument and changing the order. If you build a larger grid, use one row per x and one column per order, then check several individual cells against explicit literal formulas before interpreting a trend.
Errors and domain limits
The official lesson documents #VALUE! for a nonnumeric x or order, and #NUM! for a negative order. Thus =BESSELK("bad",1) and =BESSELK(1,-1) are documentation-based error expectations, not executed error captures.
The examples do not establish how numeric-looking text, blank cells, logical values or existing spreadsheet errors are coerced. Do not infer the error returned at zero or negative x from another spreadsheet program. The K and Y mathematical families have singular behavior near zero, so their positive-input examples must not be extrapolated across that boundary.
Use a function because its mathematical definition matches the intended calculation, not merely because its name contains “Bessel.” These four names describe different kernels, not legacy aliases. The lesson alone provides no broad precision, overflow, underflow or large-order guarantee.
Evidence and version scope
The official WPS Academy BESSELK lesson, published 2019-06-24, was rechecked on October 19, 2026. The lesson explicitly labels WPS Office for Windows Personal. The publication date is evidence that the function was documented by that date, not its introduction date. Exact numeric builds, first and last supported versions remain unknown. The lesson does not establish retirement or deprecation, or parity across platforms and editions.
These are original documentation-based examples with independently calculated expected values. They were not executed in WPS. Vendor demonstrations are historical documentation, not our application tests. Display rounding, client precision and workbook interchange remain unverified; the extra digits in this guide are mathematical reference values. English function names and comma separators follow the lesson.