The TTEST function in Google Sheets is a statistical tool used to determine if there is a significant difference between the means of two groups. This function helps researchers and analysts assess whether the differences observed in sample data are statistically significant or occurred by chance.

Syntax

TTEST(range1, range2, tails, type)

• range1: The first data range or array.
• range2: The second data range or array.
• tails: The number of distribution tails. Use 1 for a one-tailed test or 2 for a two-tailed test.
• type: The type of t-test to perform. Choose 1 for paired, 2 for two-sample equal variance, or 3 for two-sample unequal variance.

Example #1

=TTEST(A1:A10, B1:B10, 2, 2)

This formula compares the means of the data in ranges A1:A10 and B1:B10 using a two-tailed test for equal variance. The result might be 0.045, indicating a significant difference.

Example #2

=TTEST(C1:C20, D1:D20, 1, 3)

This function performs a one-tailed test for unequal variances between the datasets in C1:C20 and D1:D20. A return value of 0.012 suggests that group C’s mean is significantly greater than group D’s.

Example #3

=TTEST(E1:E15, F1:F15, 2, 1)

This formula conducts a two-tailed t-test for paired samples from ranges E1:E15 and F1:F15. A result of 0.083 indicates no significant difference between the two means.

Error handling

• N/A: This error indicates that the data ranges used in the function have different sizes.
• VALUE!: This occurs when non-numeric values are included in the data ranges.
• REF!: This implies that one of the ranges specified cannot be found, indicating an invalid cell reference.

Conclusion

The TTEST function in Google Sheets is an essential tool for statistical analysis, enabling users to assess the significance of differences in data means. By understanding its syntax, parameters, and potential errors, researchers can effectively utilize this function to support their findings in various analytical contexts.