The FISHER function in Google Sheets facilitates the application of the Fisher transformation, a statistical method often used in analyzing proportions. This function converts a value into a form that’s more conducive for hypothesis testing, particularly in the realm of finance and biostatistics.

Syntax

FISHER(x)

• x: The value to be transformed using the Fisher transformation.

Example #1

FISHER(0.5)

This function call returns the Fisher transformation of 0.5, which evaluates to approximately 0.5493, converting the proportion into a value that facilitates normal distribution analysis.

Example #2

FISHER(0.8)

This call applies the Fisher transformation to 0.8, yielding a result of about 1.0986, hence normalizing the probability metric for further statistical operations.

Example #3

FISHER(0.1)

Here, the Fisher transformation of 0.1 is calculated, resulting in approximately -2.1972, demonstrating how lower probabilities are transformed into a more standard format for analysis.

Error handling

• NUM! This error indicates that the input value is outside the allowable range for the Fisher transformation, which is between -1 and 1.
• VALUE! Indicates that the provided input is not a number or is in an invalid format that cannot be processed by the function.

Conclusion

In summary, the FISHER function is an essential tool for statistical analysis in Google Sheets, particularly when dealing with proportions that require normalization. By transforming values into a format suitable for hypothesis testing, users can enhance the accuracy of their statistical evaluations.