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Finding where a letter sits
Definition
Finding where a letter sits in a word means giving FIND the letter and the cell to scan.
Syntax
=FIND(find_text, within_text)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
find_text |
The letter to look for, in double quotes, for example "X". |
within_text |
The cell that holds the word or tag to scan. |
Worked example
A yard lists batch tags in B2:B4. The letter X marks the lot code.
| A: Bay | B: Tag |
|---|---|
| A1 | BatchX9 |
| A2 | LotX12 |
| B1 | PackX4 |
Formula: =FIND("X",B2)
Result: 6. In BatchX9 the letters run B, a, t, c, h, X, so X is at position 6.
Practice
Cell C2 holds Excel. In D2, write a formula that returns the position of the letter x in C2.
- In D2, write a FIND formula that returns the position of x in C2.
- D2 should show the position of x in C2.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =FIND("x",C2) in D2.
x is the second character of Excel, so the position is 2.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
D2 uses FIND.
D2 now shows 2.
The next lesson is When both tests must pass.
Related functions
FIND is the function that returns the position of that letter.
Common mistake
Changing the case, as in =FIND("x",B2) on BatchX9: FIND treats x and X as different, so a lowercase x returns an error.