Chapter 9. Math and Statistical Functions
Excelâs packed with dozens of mathematical functions. Some of these functions are for specialized audiences, like engineers or statisticians, while others are so useful they can turn up in almost any civilianâs spreadsheet.
In this chapter, youâll take a tour of two of Excelâs largest function categories: Math & Trig and Statistical. Rather than slog through each function one by one, this chapter covers the most useful functions in each category. It starts by looking at a bunch of functions that help round, add, and count numbers. Then it also explains how to find averages, medians, and percentiles, which are helpful when comparing groups of data. Toward the end of the chapter, youâll see some of the more specialized functions that showcase Excelâs skill with trigonometry and advanced statisticsâgreat for math lovers, accounting jockeys, or political polling wonks interested in double-checking statistical significance claims.
Rounding Numbers
Most people donât devote enough thought to rounding, the process by which you adjust fractional numbers so theyâre less precise but more manageable. For example, rounding transforms the unwieldy number 1.984323125 to 2. Excel has two ways to use rounding:
Modify the number format of the cell. With this method, Excel rounds the displayed value, but it doesnât change the underlying value. The advantage to this approach is that you can use the value in other calculations without losing ...
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