title: Sum n random numbers (for simulation purposes)
body: <p>Is it possible to define a named field in Excel filled with a vector of random numbers, with only <strong>one</strong> formula? </p>
  
  <p>In the case where I want to have only one random number I can define a named field called  <code>random</code> having the value of <code>=RND()</code> Now I want to create a named field <code>random_vector</code> containing a vector of <code>n</code> random values. A canonical way would be to define a named field by <code>OFFSET(RND();0;0;n)</code> but this doesn't work.</p>
  
  <p>This problem could easily be done by filling a column with my random numbers and then define a named field over this column. This solution would not work because I have to fill many cells with a formula.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Background of the question</strong></p>
  
  <p>One application of this is that I want to compute in an easy way the sum (or product, or quantile,...) of n random variables. For example, I can compute the sum of 5 uniform random numbers by the formula</p>
  
  <pre><code>=RND()+RND()+RND()+RND()+RND()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It I now want to compute the sum of 50 uniform random variables, I could extend this formula to contain 50 terms <code>RND()</code> but it would be a mess.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Some precisions</strong></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>I greatly appreciate your help since I have to implement this in Excel without VBA or addons (otherwise I would code this in C++ and then link it to Excel)</li>
  <li>The sum of uniform random variables in not an uniform distribution.</li>
  <li>Anyway I am <strong>not</strong> interessed in the sum of uniform random variables but in the general case. The uniform distribution is only given for illustration purposes. My aim is to compute the n-th convolution of a random vector whith itself.</li>
  </ul>