Math
RAND
Definition
RAND returns a new random decimal greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1.
Syntax
=RAND()
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
(none) |
RAND takes no arguments, but the empty parentheses are still required. |
Worked example
A raffle scales a random decimal by 100 so the draw sits between 0 and 100. The scale is in B2.
| A: Draw | B: Scale |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 3 | 100 |
Formula: =B2*RAND()
Result: 41.8 on one pass, when RAND returned 0.418. The value is always at least 0 and below 100, and it changes whenever the sheet recalculates.
Practice
Cell B2 holds 1. In C2, write RAND().
- In C2, write a RAND formula.
Step 1 of 1
Enter =RAND() in C2.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
C2 uses RAND.
Related functions
RAND has no paired function in this catalog, so it is the function to use when you need a new decimal between 0 and 1.
Common mistake
Using RAND to stamp a draw that should never change: it recalculates on every edit, so copy the result and paste values when you need a fixed number.