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You may have a need at some point to find the lowest numbers in a list of values. This is relatively easy to do if you use the SMALL worksheet function. The function takes two parameters: the range of the values to be evaluated and an indicator of which smallest number you want. For instance, the following will return the second lowest number in the range of A1:A100:
=SMALL(A1:A100,2)
If you wanted to know the two lowest numbers in the range, then use two formulas containing the SMALL function—one with 1 as the second parameter (for the lowest number) and one with 2 as the second parameter (for the second lowest number).
There are situations, of course, where the two smallest numbers in the range could actually be the same number. For instance, if the lowest number is 3 and there is a second 3 in the list, then both the lowest numbers will be the same. If you want the two lowest unique numbers then you will need to use a macro to determine them.
Function SMALLn(rng As Range, n)
Application.Volatile
SMALLn = False
If n < 1 Then Exit Function
Dim i As Long, j As Long, k As Long, min, arr, arr2
arr = Application.Transpose(rng)
ReDim arr2(n - 1)
min = Application.WorksheetFunction.Min(arr)
j = UBound(arr)
k = 0
arr2(k) = min
For i = 1 To j
If Application.Small(arr, i) <> arr2(k) Then
k = k + 1
arr2(k) = Application.Small(arr, i)
If k = n - 1 Then
SMALLn = arr2(k)
Exit For
End If
End If
Next i
End Function
This user-defined function is used in the following manner:
=SMALLn(A1:A100,2)
When called like this, the function returns the second lowest unique value in the specified range.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3420) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 2000 2002 2003 2007
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