Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Using the INT Worksheet Function.
There are many times that you simply need to work with whole numbers. Excel provides a handy function, INT, for just such times. This function takes a single argument and returns the integer value of that argument. For instance, consider the following:
=INT(12.34)
Using this formula, Excel returns a value of 12. You should be aware that INT always returns the next lower whole integer. This only seems odd when dealing with negative numbers. For instance, consider the following:
=INT(-43.21)
You may be tempted to believe that Excel would return a value of -43, but this would be wrong. When following the rule of always returning the next lower whole integer, Excel would return -44, which is the next integer lower than -43.21.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2150) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Using the INT Worksheet Function.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
Need to figure out the least common multiple of a range of values? It is a snap when you use the LCM function, described in ...
Discover MoreWhen you use SUM to determine the total of a range of values, Excel doesn't really pay attention to whether the values are ...
Discover MoreWhen preparing financial reports, it may make your data easier to understand if you round it to the nearest multiple, such as ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2012-05-29 18:26:07
Doug Horton
For negative numbers, use TRUNC() like this:
=TRUNC(-43.21)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
Comments