Generate random number by given certain mean and standard deviation in Excel

In some certain cases, you may want to generate a series of random numbers based on given specific mean and standard deviation, how could you quickly solve this problem? Now this tutorial will introduce a way for you to handle with it in Excel.

Generate random number by given mean and standard deviation

arrow blue right bubble Generate random number by given mean and standard deviation

To solve this problem, you need to do as below steps:

1. Firstly, you need to type your needed mean and standard deviation into two empty cells, here, I select A1 and A2. See screenshot:doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-1

2. Then in cell B3, type this formula =NORMINV(RAND(),$B$1,$B$2), and drag the fill handle to the range you need. See screenshot:doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-2

Tip: In the formula =NORMINV(RAND(),$B$1,$B$2), $B$1 indicates the mean, $B$2 indicates the standard deviation.

3. Then in cell D1 and D2, you need to calculate the mean and standard deviation of the random number you has inserted in step 2. In D1, calculate the mean, type =AVERAGE(B3:B16), press Enter key and in D2, calculate the standard deviation, type =STDEV.P(B3:B16) and press Enter key.

Tip: In Excel 2007, you need to type the formula =STDEVP(B3:B16) to calculate the standard deviation of the first random numbers.

doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-3
doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-4

Tip: B3: B16 is the range you randomize numbers in step 2.

4. Now you can generate the real random numbers you need. In cell D3, type this formula =$B$1+(B3-$D$1)*$B$2/$D$2, and drag the fill hand to the range you need. See screenshot:
doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-5

Tip: B1 indicates the mean you need, B2 indicates the standard deviation you need, B3 indicates the first cell of your first random numbers, D1 is the mean of first random numbers, D2 is the standard deviation of first random numbers.

You can check the mean and standard deviation of the final random number series.

5. In cell D17, type =AVERAGR(D3:D16) and press Enter key, then in cell D18, type =STDEV.P(D3:D16) (or =STDEVP(D3:D16) in Excel 2007) and press Enter key.
doc-randomize-by-mean-stdv-6

Tip: D3:D16 is the range of the last random number series.

Easily Insert Random Data without duplicates in a range of cells
If you want to insert random and no duplicate integer numbers, dates, times or strings, even custom lists into a range of cells, the forumula maybe hard to remember. But Kutools for Excel's Inser Random Data can quickly handle these jobs as easily as possible. Click for full features 30 days free trial!
doc insert random data
 
Kutools for Excel: with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days.

Relative Articles:

The Best Office Productivity Tools

Kutools for Excel Solves Most of Your Problems, and Increases Your Productivity by 80%

  • Reuse: Quickly insert complex formulas, charts and anything that you have used before; Encrypt Cells with password; Create Mailing List and send emails...
  • Super Formula Bar (easily edit multiple lines of text and formula); Reading Layout (easily read and edit large numbers of cells); Paste to Filtered Range...
  • Merge Cells/Rows/Columns without losing Data; Split Cells Content; Combine Duplicate Rows/Columns... Prevent Duplicate Cells; Compare Ranges...
  • Select Duplicate or Unique Rows; Select Blank Rows (all cells are empty); Super Find and Fuzzy Find in Many Workbooks; Random Select...
  • Exact Copy Multiple Cells without changing formula reference; Auto Create References to Multiple Sheets; Insert Bullets, Check Boxes and more...
  • Extract Text, Add Text, Remove by Position, Remove Space; Create and Print Paging Subtotals; Convert Between Cells Content and Comments...
  • Super Filter (save and apply filter schemes to other sheets); Advanced Sort by month/week/day, frequency and more; Special Filter by bold, italic...
  • Combine Workbooks and WorkSheets; Merge Tables based on key columns; Split Data into Multiple Sheets; Batch Convert xls, xlsx and PDF...
  • More than 300 powerful features. Supports Office/Excel 2007-2019 and 365. Supports all languages. Easy deploying in your enterprise or organization. Full features 30-day free trial. 60-day money back guarantee.
kte tab 201905

Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!
officetab bottom
Say something here...
symbols left.
You are guest ( Sign Up? )
or post as a guest, but your post won't be published automatically.
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.
  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    RobertF · 5 months ago
    Kewl. I used this to simulate market returns. However, I should mention that Mean is not the same as CAGR; i.e. I had to adjust the Mean higher to obtain my desired return.
  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    Fenamiphos · 1 years ago
    Thank you soooo much, I've looking for this all day. Extremely helpful !
  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    Karisteas · 2 years ago
    Amazing! Thanks for this post. It works!
  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    Keo · 3 years ago
    this is really helpful, but i have a problem with negative value. what should i do?