Math
Finding the remainder of a divide
Definition
Finding the remainder after division means giving MOD the number and the divisor.
Syntax
=MOD(number, divisor)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
number |
The number to divide, such as a headcount in B2. |
divisor |
The pack size to divide by, such as 6. |
Worked example
A canteen packs meals in sixes. Headcounts are in B2:B4.
| A: Room | B: Meals |
|---|---|
| A | 22 |
| B | 12 |
| C | 7 |
Formula: =MOD(B2,6)
Result: 4. 22 divided by 6 is 3 packs with 4 meals left over.
Practice
Cell A2 holds 17. Cell B2 holds 5. In C2, write a formula that returns the remainder when A2 is divided by B2.
- In C2, write a MOD formula that returns the remainder of A2 divided by B2.
- C2 should show A2 modulo B2.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =MOD(A2,B2) in C2.
A2 is 17 and B2 is 5, so the remainder is 2.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
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C2 uses MOD.
C2 now shows 2.
The next lesson is Turning digit text into a number.
Related functions
MOD is the function that returns that remainder after the division.
Common mistake
Swapping the arguments, as in =MOD(6,B2): 6 divided by 22 leaves 6, not the leftover 4.