In certain circumstances, we prefer the rounded or approximate number rather than the exact number for making communication easier. The ROUND function returns a rounded numerical value. In this tutorial, I’ll discuss the basics of Excel ROUND function. More importantly, nine real-life examples will be shown with proper explanations. So that, you can adjust the formula in your dataset.
Introduction to ROUND Function
Firstly, you’ll see the syntax and argument of the function. If you insert the function after entering the equal sign (=), you’ll see the following figure.
Function Objective
The ROUND function rounds a number based on the provided number of digits. Rounding up or rounding down is possible with the function.
Syntax
=ROUND (number, num_digits)Arguments Explanation
| Arguments | Required/Optional | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| number | required | The number to round |
| num_digits | required | The number of digits to round the numeric argument to. |
Return Value
A rounded numerical value.
Note.
- The ROUND function rounds down (when the number of digits is 1-4) and up (when the number of digits is 5-9). You may utilize the ROUNDUP function to always round up. On the other hand, you can use the ROUNDDOWN function to always round down a number.
- The number of digits is a significant argument while using the ROUND function. The output found by using the function depends on the number of digits that are shown in the following table.
| Number of Digits | Forms of Rounding |
|---|---|
| >0 | Rounds to the decimal point |
| 0 | Rounds to the nearest integer |
| <0 | Rounds to the nearest 10, 100, etc |
How to Use ROUND Function in Excel: 9 Suitable Examples
Let us have a data set like this. We have the record of the several product ID, Unit price. Now we want to round the unit price. To do that, we will apply the ROUND, and INT functions. Here’s an overview of the dataset for our today’s task.
Example 1: Using ROUND Function When Number of Digits Is Positive
Imagine the unit price of some products is given, you have to round the unit price based on the number of digits. As the number of digits is positive, you’ll get a rounded number to the decimal point. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
Steps:
- First of all, select cell E5 and write down the below ROUND function in that cell. The function is,
=ROUND(C5,D5)- Here, C5 is the unit price whereas D5 is the number of digits.
- Hence, simply press Enter on your keyboard. As a result, you will get the output of the ROUND function. The return is 89.6.
- Further, AutoFill the ROUND function to the rest of the cells in column E.
Example 2: Applying ROUND Function When Number of Digits Is Negative
Again, if the number of digits is negative, you’ll get the rounded price to the nearest multiple of 10, 100, 1000, etc. Simply repeat method 1 to do that.
=ROUND(C5,D5)
Example 3: Utilizing ROUND Function to Get Nearest Whole Number
If the number of digits is equal to zero, the ROUND function rounds the number to get the nearest whole number. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
Steps:
- First of all, select cell D5 and write down the below ROUND function in that cell. The function is,
=ROUND(C5,0)- Hence, simply press Enter on your keyboard.
- After that, you will get the output of the ROUND function. The output is 90.
- Further, AutoFill the ROUND function to the rest of the cells in column D.
Example 4: Rounding a Number to Two Decimal Places
Sometimes, you may be told to round a number to two decimal places. Just use 2 as the number of digits.
=ROUND(C5,2)- Where C5 is the number and 2 is the num_digits of the ROUND function.
Example 5: Using ROUND Function to Get a Specific Value
If you guys need to determine a specific rounded value, e.g., to the nearest 0.99, you can use the ROUND function to get that value. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
Steps:
- First of all, select cell D5 and write down the below ROUND function in that cell. The function is,
=ROUND(C5,0)-0.01Formula Breakdown:
- ROUND(C5,0) rounds to the 90.
- After subtracting 01, you’ll get the desired number.
- Further, simply press Enter on your keyboard. As a result, you will get the output of the ROUND function. The output is 89.99.
- Further, AutoFill the ROUND function to the rest of the cells in column D.
Example 6: Round Up a Number to the Nearest 10/100/1000
i. Round Up to the Nearest 10
If you wish to find the rounded number to the nearest multiple of 10, the number of digits will be -1.
=ROUND(C5,-1)
ii. Round Up to the Nearest 100
Again, for finding the rounded number to the nearest multiple of 100, the number of digits will be -2.
=ROUND(C5,-2)
iii. Round Up to the Nearest 1000
Furthermore, you can calculate the rounded number to the nearest 1000 or multiple of that. In such a situation, the number of digits will be -3.
=ROUND(C5,-3)
Example 7: Rounding Time in Excel Using ROUND Function
You can also use the ROUND function for rounding time to hours like rounding the number.
As Excel stores the dates and times as serial numbers, the function calculates the time as the serial number. You may use the Format Cells (press CTRL+1 ) to show the number as a time.
i. Rounding to the Nearest Hour
As you know, a day has 24 hours. Thus the formula will be like the following.
=ROUND(D5*24,0)/24-INT(D5)Here, the INT function is used to subtract the value of dates.
- Now, We will format these fraction values. To do that, select the cells to range from D5 to D9 and copy this range using the Ctrl + C keyboard shortcut. Hence, paste the copied portion using the Ctrl + P simultaneously.
- After that, select the cells that range from E5 to E9, and press Ctrl + 1  simultaneously.
- As a result, a Format Cells dialog box will appear in front of you. From the Format Cells dialog box, do like the below screenshot.
- Finally, you will be able to format the fraction values into h:mm format.
ii Rounding to the Nearest 15 Minutes
Besides, you can round time to the nearest 15 minutes. Needless to say, a day has 96 times of 15 minutes. So that the formula will be:
=ROUND(C5*96,0)/96
Example 8: Rounding Total of Two Numbers Applying ROUND Function
In some cases, you may need to consider two or more numbers (e.g. price in June and price in July) for rounding. You may use the following formula in case of finding a rounded number of the total value of the numbers.
=ROUND(C5+D5,0)
Example 9: Rounding Quotient of Two Numbers Using ROUND Function
Once more, you may have to calculate the rounded number in case of the quotient of two numbers. The formula will be:
=ROUND(D5/C5,0)
Common Errors While Using ROUND Function
- #VALUE! error occurs when the text is inserted as input
Download Excel Workbook
Conclusion
This is how you can apply the Excel ROUND function to get the row number. If you have an interesting and unique method of using the ROUND function, please share it in the comments section below. Thanks for being with me.
