Number probability outcome

**right_hand_of_doom** · 06-25-2009, 11:21 PM

Hi,
I am just wondering if it is possible in excel to calculate from a set of number the probability of a number out come in a percentage
So i have a data base of random numbers that occur multiple time and i want to know the chances of say the number 99 occurring based on the existing data, can this be done, it might be to advanced for excel if so does anyone know of a program or a something else i could use to do this

this is an example of what i would like to do
Data
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
2 4 5 6 7 8 9 6 5 4
2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

And i want to be able to state
number 1 = 45% chance of occuring again.
I dont know maybe its just a stupid thing that cant be done very simply
any help would b great

**shg** · 06-25-2009, 11:29 PM

If the numbers are known to be random with uniform distribution, each digit has a 10% probability of occurring on each trial, irrespective of past history. think coin toss.

If you know nothing about the distribution, the answer is different.

**ffffloyd** · 06-25-2009, 11:33 PM

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where

$A$1 is the cell that defines the upper left corner of your range;
$J$3 is the cell that defines the lower right corner of your range; and
n is the number you are interested in

That will give you the percentage as a real number. Format it as you want once you've got it.

**shg** · 06-25-2009, 11:39 PM

That presumes that the sample is indicative of the population, which is unlikely, certainly for the sample size.

**ffffloyd** · 06-26-2009, 01:39 AM

It does, SHG; but I think that's what RHoD is trying to determine, just judging by the example he has given rather than interpreting his actual question too literally. We don't actually know that it is a uniform distribution. If that were the case then why the need for a statistical analysis? Perhaps RHoD is trying to infer the probability distribution from the sample.