Math
How many digits to keep
Definition
Rounding a number means giving ROUND the value and how many digits to keep.
Syntax
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
number |
The cell or value to round. |
num_digits |
The digit count. Positive keeps that many places after the decimal; 0 rounds to the nearest whole number. |
Worked example
A box office lists ticket prices. The prices are in B2:B4.
| A: Ticket | B: Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | 14.38 |
| Child | 9.40 |
| Senior | 11.25 |
Formula: =ROUND(B2,0)
Result: 14. The first decimal of 14.38 is 3, which is below 5, so the price rounds to 14.
Practice
Cell A2 holds 6.24. In B2, write a formula that rounds it to 1 decimal place.
- In B2, write a ROUND formula that rounds A2 to 1 decimal place.
- B2 should show A2 rounded to 1 decimal place.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =ROUND(A2,1) in B2.
A2 is 6.24, so rounding to 1 decimal place gives 6.2.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
B2 uses ROUND.
B2 now shows 6.2.
The next lesson is How many cells match one test.
Related functions
ROUND is the function that carries out this rounding, and its second argument is the number of digits to keep.
Common mistake
Putting the digit count first, as in =ROUND(0,B2): that rounds the number 0 instead of the price in B2.