How to Use Excel ROUND Function
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In this tutorial, you will learn all things you need to use the ROUND formula in excel. ROUND is a basic number rounding formula in excel which will help you round decimals normally.
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Table of Contents:
- ROUND usefulness
- ROUND result
- Excel version in which ROUND can start to be used
- The way to write it and its inputs
- Example of usage and result
- Writing steps
- ROUND alternative 1: increase/decrease decimal menu
- ROUND alternative 2: format cells menu
- How to round up a number: ROUNDUP
- How to round down a number: ROUNDDOWN
- Exercise
- Additional note
ROUND Usefulness
ROUND can be used to round decimals normally in excel.ROUND Result
The result of ROUND is a number in which decimals have been rounded according to your preferred details.Excel Version in Which ROUND Can Start to Be Used
The ROUND formula can start to be used since excel 2003.The Way of Writing and Its Inputs
Generally, here are the steps to write the ROUND formula in excel:
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
And the explanation of the inputs needed in its writing is as follows:
- number: the number you want to round the decimals of
- num_digits: the number of decimals you want for the rounding process result
Example of Usage and Result
Here will be given and explained the example of ROUND writing and result in excel.
As you can see in the first three rows, ROUND will round decimals normally according to the number of decimals requested.
You can round to a whole number by inputting 0 for the requested number of decimals (as you can see in the fourth row of the example). You can also round to the nearest 10 multiples by inputting a minus for your requested number of decimals. Input the minus according to the power of the 10 multiple you want (1 for 10, 2 for 100, 3 for 1000, and so on).
Normal decimal rounding process means <5 number will be rounded down and >=5 number will be rounded up. Negative numbers can also be rounded using ROUND, as you can see in the third row of the example.
Make sure your ROUND writing and inputs are according to what is explained previously and i in the example. With that, your number rounding process result will be gotten fast and accurately!
Writing Steps
The following will give detailed, step-by-step writing of ROUND in excel. Each step will be given a screenshot to give a clear picture for you about how to write the formula.-
Type an equal sign ( = ) in the cell where you want to put the decimal rounding result in
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Type ROUND (can be with large and small letters) and an open bracket sign after =
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Input the number or cell coordinate where the number is after the open bracket sign, followed by comma sign ( , )
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Input the number of decimal digit requested or the cell coordinate where that number of the decimal digit is
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Type a close bracket sign
- Press Enter
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The process is done!
ROUND Alternative 1: Increase/Decrease Decimal Menu
Besides using ROUND to round your decimals, you can also use the increase/decrease decimal menu in your Home tab. However, you need to remember that this menu rounding only rounds the interface of your number, not its real value.The way to use this menu is by first highlighting the cell where the number you want to round is. Then, go to your Home tab and click increase or decrease decimal according to your number of decimals needs.
This menu location can be seen in the screenshot below.
The usage example of this menu can be seen in the following screenshots.
As you can see, this menu is quite easy to use for the rounding process of your numbers. You just need to click the increase decimal or decrease decimal menu as many times as you need for your result.
Unlike ROUND, this menu can’t be used to round to a 10 multiples
ROUND Alternative 2: Format Cells Menu
You can also round your numbers by using the format cells menu. Just like the increase/decrease decimal menu, this menu only rounds your number interface, not its real value.The way to round with this format cells menu can be explained as follows. First, you need to highlight the cell which contains the number you want to round. Then, right-click on the cell and choose Format Cells…
Then, make sure you are in the Number tab in the dialog box shown. Choose the Number category there. Then, change the number in the Decimal Places text box into the number of decimals you want for your number.
After that, click OK.
Done! Your number interface has been rounded to the number of decimals you want.
Remember that, just like the increase/decrease decimal menu, format cells cannot be used to round to the nearest 10 multiple (not like the ROUND formula which can do it).
Excel also has shortcut buttons to access this format cells menu if you need it. The shortcut buttons are Ctrl + 1 (Command + 1 on Mac). Press them simultaneously when you highlight your number cell and the format cells dialog box will be shown!
How to Round Up a Number: ROUNDUP
ROUND can help you to round your decimals normally. But, what if you want to round up your decimals? For that, you can use another excel formula, which is ROUNDUP.The way to write ROUNDUP is similar to ROUND, which is:
=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)
Both inputs are also similar as you can see. You just need to input the number you want to round with the number of decimals you need in your ROUNDUP.
Here is the example of ROUNDUP usage and result in excel.
As you can see, ROUNDUP rounds up your number’s decimals although the number it rounds is 0-4 (as you know, 0-4 will be rounded down in a normal rounding process). Besides its rounding up nature, other ROUNDUP processes and result nature is the same as ROUND.
If you need to learn more about ROUNDUP, please visit our tutorial that discusses it specifically.
How to Round Down a Number: ROUNDDOWN
What if what you need is a decimals rounding down process? This can be done by you in excel using another formula, which is ROUNDDOWN.Generally, the ROUNDDOWN writing form is the same as ROUND and ROUNDUP which has been discussed before.
=ROUNDDOWN(number, num_digits)
The input is also the same which is the number you want to round plus the number of decimals you want.
The usage and result example of ROUNDDOWN can be seen in the screenshot below.
As you can see, ROUNDDOWN will round down whatever number it rounds, including 5-9 numbers (this should be rounded up if the rounding process is done normally). Besides its rounding down nature, the other ROUNDDOWN processes and nature are the same as ROUND and ROUNDUP.
Need further explanation about ROUNDDOWN? Learn it from this tutorial.
Exercise
After knowing how to use the ROUND function in excel, now you can practice your understanding through this exercise below!Download the file from the following link and answer the questions below. Please download the answer file if you have finished answering the questions and sure about the results!
Link to the exercise file:
Download here
Questions
- What is the result if the first number is rounded to 3 decimals?
- What is the result if the second number is rounded to 5 decimals?
- What is the result if the third number is rounded to its nearest 10 multiples?
Link to the answer key file:
Download here
Additional Note
ROUND won’t give 0 if your number of decimals request is more than the number of decimals in your number (for example, =ROUND(34.1,3) won’t change your number to 34.100. It will still be 34.1). If you need to show those zeroes, you should use the increase/decrease decimal or format cells menu.The way to use them is as explained previously.
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