Are you looking to create a bell curve graph in Google Sheets? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a bell curve graph using Google Sheets. This chart can be particularly useful for performance appraisals or any analysis that requires visualizing a normal distribution.
Understanding the Bell Curve
Before we dive into the process, let’s quickly go over what a bell curve is. A bell curve, also known as a normal distribution, is a graph that represents the probability distribution of a dataset. The data near the average are more frequent in occurrence than the data that is far from the average.
According to the general rule, which is known as the 68–95–99.7 empirical rule, for a standardized normal distribution:
- 68% of the population of the dataset will be within +/- 1 standard deviation (SD) of the mean.
- 95% will be within +/- 2 SD of the mean.
- 99.7% will be within +/- 3 SD of the mean.
Now that we have a basic understanding of the bell curve, let’s get started with creating one using Google Sheets.
Sample Data and Formatting for the Bell Curve Chart in Google Sheets
To begin, you will need some sample data. Let’s say we have the digital ad revenue for one of our inventory for the month of February 2019. You can find the sample data here.
Once you have the sample data, follow these steps to format the data and prepare it for the bell curve chart:
Step 1: Calculate the Mean
Use the AVERAGE formula in cell D1 to calculate the mean of the ad revenue data.
=AVERAGE(A1:A28)The mean is an important parameter in determining the shape of the bell curve.
Step 2: Calculate the Standard Deviation
Next, we need to calculate the standard deviation of the data. Use the STDEV.P formula in cell E1 to calculate the standard deviation of the entire population.
=STDEV.P(A1:A28)The standard deviation measures the spread of the data and is another important parameter for the bell curve.
Step 3: Determine the Range for the Bell Curve
According to the 68–95–99.7 rule, 99.7% of the population falls within +/- 3 standard deviations of the mean. In cells F1 and G1, enter the following formulas to determine the range for the bell curve:
- F1 formula:
=D1-3*E1 - G1 formula:
=D1+3*E1
Step 4: Generate the Data for the Bell Curve
To generate the data for the bell curve, use the SEQUENCE formula in cell B1. This formula will populate the numbers from the lower range (F1) to the upper range (G1).
=SEQUENCE(G1-F1+1, 1, F1)Step 5: Calculate the Normal Distribution
Finally, in cell C1, enter the NORM.DIST formula to calculate the normal distribution of the values in column B.
=ArrayFormula(NORM.DIST(B1:B26,$D$1,$E$1,false))Congratulations! You have completed the data formatting part. Now, let’s move on to plotting the bell curve.
Smooth Line Chart for Plotting the Bell Curve
To plot the bell curve in Google Sheets, we will use a smooth line graph. Here’s how:
- Select the data range from B1 to C26.
- Click on the “Insert” menu, then select “Chart” from the dropdown.
- Choose the chart type “Smooth Line Chart.”
- Make sure to tick the box that says “Use column B as labels.”
And voila! You have successfully created a bell curve graph in Google Sheets. Now, you can analyze and visualize your data distribution more effectively.
Bell Curve Representation
Here are a few things to keep in mind when interpreting the bell curve:
- A more spread-out bell curve indicates a larger standard deviation.
- A steep and tall bell curve suggests a smaller standard deviation.
- In a normal distribution, the mean, median, and mode values are all the same.
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That’s it! You’re now equipped with the knowledge to create bell curve graphs in Google Sheets. Enjoy exploring the world of data visualization and analysis!
