- Excel Functions - Home
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- BINOM.DIST.RANGE Function
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- CHISQ.DIST Function
- CHISQ.DIST.RT Function
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- FISHERINV Function
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- FORECAST.ETS Function
- FORECAST.ETS.CONFINT Function
- FORECAST.ETS.SEASONALITY Function
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- FORECAST.LINEAR Function
- FREQUENCY Function
- GAMMA Function
- GAMMA.DIST Function
- GAMMA.INV Function
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- GAUSS Function
- GEOMEAN
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- INTERCEPT Function
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- LARGE Function
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- LOGNORM.DIST Function
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- MAX Function
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- MEDIAN Function
- MIN Function
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- MODE.MULT Function
- MODE.SNGL Function
- NEGBINOM.DIST Function
- NORM.DIST Function
- NORM.INV Function
- NORM.S.DIST Function
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- PEARSON Function
- PERCENTILE.EXC
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- PERCENTRANK.EXC
- PERCENTRANK.INC
- PERMUT
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- POISSON.DIST
- PROB
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- QUARTILE.INC
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- RSQ
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- SMALL
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- T.TEST
- TREND
- TRIMMEAN Function
- VAR.P Function
- VAR.S Function
- VARA Function
- VARPA Function
- WEIBULL.DIST Function
- Z.TEST Function
- Web Functions
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- WEBSERVICE Function
Excel - POISSON Function
POISSON Function
The Excel POISSON function retrieves the Poisson distribution. This distribution is commonly used to predict the countable events over a certain period of time. It is used in various real-time scenarios to identify the likelihood of crimes in metropolitan cities, predict the occurrence of floods in remote areas over a specific period, determine the number of errors occurring in specific software, determine hospitals where the number of critical cases arrived during night hours, and more.
The POISSON function interchanges the POISSON.DIST function in Excel 2010.
Compatibility
This advanced excel function is compatible with the following versions of MS-Excel −
- Excel for Microsoft 365
- Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac
- Excel for the web
- Excel 2021
- Excel 2021 for Mac
- Excel 2019
- Excel 2019 for Mac
- Excel 2016
Syntax
The syntax of POISSON function is as follows −
POISSON(x,mean,cumulative)
Arguments
You can use the following arguments with the POISSON function −
| Argument | Description | Required / Optional |
|---|---|---|
| X | It specifies the total number of events. | Required |
| Mean | It denotes the expected numeric value. | Required |
| Cumulative |
It represents a logical value whose value is either TRUE or FALSE. If its value is TRUE, POISSON will retrieve the cumulative Poisson probability that the random events frequency resides between zero and x inclusive. If its value is FALSE, POISSON will retrieve the Poisson probability mass function that the events frequency will be the same as that of x. |
Required |
Points to Remember
- If the x value is in decimal form, its value gets truncated to become an integer.
- If x is other than a numeric value, then the POISSON function will retrieve the #VALUE! error.
- If the mean is non-numeric, the POISSON function will get the #VALUE! error.
- The POISSON function will retrieve the #NUM! error value if the x is negative.
- The POISSON function would get the #NUM! error if the mean value is negative.
Examples of POISSON Function
Practice the following examples to learn the use of the POISSON function in Excel.
Example 1
Assume the sample dataset where the X, Mean, and Cumulative values are specified in the range C2:C4 cells. You can enter the formula =POISSON(C3,C4,C5) in the C6 cell.
And then you may press the Enter key to get the result of 6.14421E-06
Example 2
If the x value is in decimal form, its value gets truncated to become an integer.
Solution
You can enter the formula =POISSON(43.8,14,FALSE) in the C8 cell. The value of X that is 43.8 truncated to 43 and then press the Enter tab.
Therefore, the Poisson function would retrieve the Poisson probability mass function whose value is 2.64385E-10.
Example 3
If x is other than a numeric value, then the POISSON function will retrieve the #VALUE! error.
Solution
Lets suppose that the x contains the text value Harry. Enter the expression =POISSON("Harry",14, FALSE) in the C8 cell.
Once you press the Enter tab, the function will obtain the #VALUE! error.
Example 4
If the mean is non-numeric, the POISSON function will get the #VALUE! error.
Solution
You may write the expression =POISSON(23,"len", FALSE) in the C8 cell. As you can see in this expression, the second argument (Mean) is a len in text form.
Therefore, the #VALUE! error is obtained once you press the Enter key.
Example 5
The POISSON function will retrieve the #NUM! error value if the x is negative.
Solution
You may set the value of X to -43 and enter the Poisson formula =POISSON(-43,15,FALSE) in the desired cell and press the Enter tab.
Therefore, the Poisson Distribution for this case will return the #NUM as the x is less than 0 which is strictly prohibited.
Example 6
The POISSON function would get the #NUM! error if the mean value is negative.
Solution
First, enter the expression =POISSON(67,-6,FALSE) in the C8 cell where the Mean value is less than zero.
When you press the Enter key, the Poisson function will obtain the #NUM! error.
Hence, providing the positive and numeric values for the X and Mean arguments is mandatory to yield correct results from the POISSON Distribution function.