How to Use the CHITEST Function in Excel

The CHITEST function in Excel and Google Sheets is utilized to calculate the chi-squared test statistic between two sets of data. This statistical test helps assess whether observed values significantly differ from expected ones.

Syntax

The syntax for the CHITEST function is:

CHITEST(actual_range, expected_range)

where:

• actual_range refers to the range of cells that contain the observed values.
• expected_range refers to the range of cells that contain the expected values.

Examples

Here are several examples to demonstrate the use of the CHITEST function:

Example 1 – Simple Chi-Squared Test

Consider the following observed and expected values:

To calculate the chi-squared test statistic, apply the formula:

=CHITEST(B2:D2,B3:D3)

The result will help determine if there is a significant difference between the observed and expected values.

Example 2 – Applying CHITEST for Data Analysis

Assume you have data on the number of website visitors by device type (observed) compared with an expected distribution based on historical data:

By using the CHITEST function, you can analyze whether there’s a statistically significant difference in the distribution of website visitors by device type compared to the expected pattern.

Following the guidelines provided above will allow you to effectively employ the CHITEST function in Excel or Google Sheets for various statistical analytic purposes.

More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/chitest-function-981ff871-b694-4134-848e-38ec704577ac