The ERFC function in Google Sheets is a powerful mathematical tool that computes the complementary Gaussian error function for a specified input. This function is particularly useful in statistics and engineering, where it plays a key role in error analysis and probability computations, dealing with normally distributed variables.

Syntax

ERFC(value)

value: A numeric input for which the complementary error function is calculated.

Example #1

ERFC(0.5)

This function call calculates the complementary Gaussian error function for the value 0.5. The result would be approximately 0.4795.

Example #2

ERFC(1)

Here, the function computes the complementary error function for a value of 1. This specific computation would yield about 0.1573, indicating the tail probability for a standard normal distribution.

Example #3

ERFC(-1.5)

This instance evaluates the complementary error function at -1.5. The result is approximately 0.9332, reflecting the probability that a standard normal variable exceeds -1.5.

Error handling

• NUM! – This error indicates that the input value is invalid (e.g., non-numeric).
• VALUE! – This message appears when the input is of an incorrect type, such as text instead of a number.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ERFC function in Google Sheets offers significant utility for those needing to understand probabilities associated with the normal distribution. By leveraging this function, users can easily calculate the complementary Gaussian error function, facilitating more informed statistical analysis and decision-making.