Math
CEILING
Definition
CEILING returns a number rounded up, away from zero, to the next multiple of a given significance.
Syntax
=CEILING(number, significance)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
number |
The value to round, or the cell holding it. |
significance |
The multiple to round to, such as 1 or 5. |
Worked example
A shop sells ribbon only in 5 cm steps, so each cut is lifted to the next multiple of 5. Lengths are in A2:A4.
| A: Length |
|---|
| 23 |
| 20 |
| 11 |
Formula: =CEILING(A2,5)
Result: 25. 23 sits between 20 and 25, so CEILING lifts it to 25. Filled down, the formula gives 25, 20, and 15.
Practice
Cell A2 holds 12.1. In B2, write a formula that rounds it up to the next multiple of 1.
- In B2, write a CEILING formula that rounds A2 up to a multiple of 1.
- B2 should show A2 rounded up to a multiple of 1.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =CEILING(A2,1) in B2.
A2 is 12.1, so rounding up to a multiple of 1 gives 13.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
B2 uses CEILING.
B2 now shows 13.
Related functions
ROUNDUP lifts a number by decimal places rather than by a multiple. ROUND follows ordinary rounding and can go down.
Common mistake
Omitting significance, as in =CEILING(A2): CEILING needs the multiple as the second argument, unlike ROUNDUP which takes a digit count.