Syntax
RAND()
| Parameter | Description |
|---|
Examples
Random decimal
Formula
=RAND()
Returns a value like 0.738291... — a different random number each time the sheet recalculates.
Random between 1 and 100
Formula
=RAND()*100
Returns a random decimal between 0 and 100, like 47.2839. Use INT(RAND()*100)+1 for a whole number 1-100.
Random yes/no
Formula
=IF(RAND()>0.5, "Yes", "No")
Randomly returns 'Yes' or 'No' with roughly equal probability. Useful for random assignment in experiments.
Common Errors
#N/A
RAND takes no arguments. Passing any argument like =RAND(1) will cause an error.
Tips
Freeze random values
RAND recalculates on every sheet change. To keep specific random numbers, copy the cells and Paste Special > Values to replace formulas with static numbers.
Random sampling
Add a =RAND() column next to your data, sort by it, and take the top N rows for a random sample. Simple and effective.
Uniform distribution only
RAND gives uniform random numbers. For normal distribution, use =NORM.INV(RAND(), mean, std_dev) to transform uniform to normal.
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