Use this Slovin’s formula calculator to quickly estimate the minimum sample size needed for your study when the population size is known. Just enter the population size (N), the desired margin of error (e), and click Calculate. The calculator will instantly return the minimum sample size for your study and show you exactly how the sample size (n) was calculated for your parameters.
Slovin’s Sample Size Calculator
Sample SizeUse this Slovin’s formula calculator to estimate the minimum sample size from a known population size and margin of error. Enter the population size (N) and the margin of error (e).
Step-by-step explanation
What This Calculator Does
This calculator applies Slovin’s formula to estimate the sample size needed for a study based on:
- a known population size
- a selected margin of error
- a simple sample size estimation approach
It is useful when you want a quick answer without doing the calculation by hand.
However, if you want to learn the formula in more detail, when to use it, and its limitations, read the full Slovin’s formula guide.
How to Use Slovin’s Formula Calculator
Want to calculate the minimum sample size using Slovin’s formula and don’t know where to start? Just follow these simple steps to get the sample size and learn how to calculate it:
- Enter the population size (N). This is the total number of people, items, or units in the group you want to study.
- Enter your desired margin of error (e) as a decimal. For example, enter 0.05 for 5% or 0.01 for 1%.
- Click Calculate. The calculator will instantly return the recommended sample size.
Want to learn how to calculate the sample size (n) for your parameters (N and e)? Review the step-by-step explanation section
Example. Finding Minimum Sample Size (n) using the Slovin’s Calculator
Suppose your population size is 875 and you want a margin of error of 7%. You can calculate the minimum sample size (n) for your study as follows:
Step 1. Identify the parameters
From the question, we know that:
- Population size, N = 875
- Margin of error, e = 0.07
Step 2. Enter the Population size (N) and Margin of error (e), in the input box
Step 3. Click Calculate.
The calculator returns the minimum sample size needed for your study as 166, as shown below.
Want to learn how the recommended sample size was obtained? See the step-by-step explanation section. You can also visit our complete slovin’s formula guide to learn more about the formula, its uses, and how to find the sample size by hand.
When This Calculator Is Useful
This calculator is helpful when:
- You know the total population size (N)
- You want a quick sample size estimate
- You are working on a survey, dissertation, thesis, or research project
- You need a fast way to apply Slovin’s formula correctly
Frequently Asked Questions
The Slovin’s formula calculator estimates the minimum sample size (n) required for your study based on the known population size (N) and margin of error (e). It also shows you how to arrive at the result, step-by-step.
N represents the total population size you want to study. In other words, it is the full number of individuals, items, or units in the population you are studying.
e is the margin of error. It shows how much error you are willing to tolerate in your estimate. When using our calculator, you should enter it as a decimal (not as a percentage) for accurate results.
Sample size should be a whole number. Since you cannot survey a fraction of a respondent, the result is rounded up to make sure the minimum required sample size is met.
Yes, as long as the population size is known and you want to estimate the sample size using Slovin’s formula. Just remember that this is a quick estimation method.