There's much work involved when dealing with data, and one crucial aspect is finding the range using the Excel RANGE function. It serves as a fundamental tool for data handling. In this article, you will gain comprehensive insights into discovering the range and mastering its manipulation.
What is Range Function in Excel
In Excel, working with sets of values is a common task, and the Excel Range function becomes indispensable. It enables us to extract various information from a range, such as finding the maximum value, minimum value, and more. With the Excel Range function formula, manipulating data and obtaining essential insights becomes a lot easier than finding ranges separately.
How to Use Range Function in Excel
With a variety of functions available to analyze ranges in Excel, it can be overwhelming to know how to use them effectively. In this section, we'll focus on two essential functions - MIN and MAX - to explore how range functions in Excel can be utilized in your work. We will be using a few examples to learn how to use the Excel range function.
Example 1- Min Function
In this Excel range function example, we have an Excel sheet that contains the marks of a group of students from the Science class. Let’s try analyzing the lowest achiever in the group using MIN Function.
Step 1: To fetch the lowest score using the following range function in Excel, click on a new empty cell, i.e. B13.
Step 2: Enter the MIN function, starting with the Equal sign
Step 3: Select the range for the MIN function, i.e. B2:B11. Users can also make use of the Excel range function shortcut to select the range, simply press and hold “Shift” on your keyboard and using the arrow keys select the rows or columns as the range.
Step 4: Press “Enter” on your keyboard. Excel simply analyzes the MIN value in the range and displays it in cell B13, i.e. 8.
Example 2: MAX Function
Using the same example above, let’s try finding the highest achiever in the group.
Step 1: Click on a new empty cell and enter the MAX Function.
Step 2: Select the range for the MAX Function, i.e. B2:B11
Step 3: Simply press “Enter” to display the MAX value in the range.
Example 3: MIN and MAX Function
The MIN and MAX functions are considered to be the most important Excel range function. When used together, the MIN and MAX function allows users to calculate the range of values in a sheet.
Suppose we have sales data for a Store over the past 12 months. We can use the MIN function to find the lowest sales, MAX Function to find the highest sales, and subtract MAX and MIN to find the range or the difference between the highest and lowest sales. Let’s try doing it ourselves:
Step 1: To find the lowest sales, enter the MIN Function in an empty cell, i.e. B15, and select the range to analyze the Lowest sales from the sales data.
Step 2: Enter the MAX Function in an empty cell, i.e. B16, and select the range to analyze the Highest sales from the sales data
Step 3: To find the range or difference, users can either use the SUM Function to subtract the lowest sale from the highest sale. Or use the SUM function with a combination of MAX and MIN functions. Enter the SUM function; “=SUM(“, in an empty cell
Step 4: Enter the MAX function inside the SUM function and select the range. Close the parentheses.
Step 5: Enter the subtraction sign, followed by the MIN function, and then select the range.
Step 6: Press “Enter”, this will command Excel to find the range of sales by first analyzing the MAX and MIN functions and then subtracting the MAX and the MIN value as a result of the SUM function.
Excel Range Function Not working
If you're experiencing issues with the Excel Range function not working, there could be a few reasons for it. Here are some common troubleshooting steps to resolve the problem:
Data error: If the selected range contains an empty cell or non-numeric values, then the Range function will not function properly.
Proper use of parentheses: While using different range functions such as MIN and MAX Functions, make sure that all the parentheses are closed.
Best Free Alternative to Microsoft Office - WPS Office
Today, Excel has undoubtedly made data handling much more manageable, simplifying many aspects of our lives. However, we can go a step further and consider an alternative that can potentially enhance our experience even more - WPS Spreadsheet. WPS Spreadsheet is cost-effective, user-friendly, and familiar, offering a seamless transition from Office 365 to Office for a wider user base. that offers unique advantages enabling it to surpass Excel in certain areas.
Method to name ranges in WPS Office
Effective range management while working with large datasets is essential for data organization and analysis. WPS Office allows its users to name their ranges using two frequently used techniques for naming ranges. Let’s explore how to use these 2 techniques.
Name Manager Method
Step 1: To name a range in WPS Office, start by selecting the range of cells you want to name.
Step 2: Navigate to the "Formula" tab in the ribbon menu and click on "Name Manager"
Step 3: In the "Name Manager" dialogue box, select "New".
Step 4: In the "Name" field, give your range a new name, and then press "OK" to save the name for the selected range.
Manual Method
Step 1: In WPS Office, select the range of cells you want to name.
Step 2: Use the search box in the ribbon menu to search for “Define Range”
Step 3: In the "New Name" dialog box, enter the desired name for your range in the "Name" field. Press “OK”
FAQs
Q1. Can I use the Range function to refer to cells in different worksheets?
Yes, the Excel Range function allows you to refer to cells in different worksheets. To do this, enter the worksheet name followed by an exclamation point and the cell reference in the syntax "SheetName!CellReference".
Q2. Can the Excel RANGE function handle non-numeric values in the selected range?
No, the selected range's empty cells or non-numeric values cannot be used with the Excel RANGE function. To ensure accurate calculations, the range must only contain numeric information.
Q3. Is it possible to use the RANGE function to find the median value of a dataset?
The median value is not computed by Excel's RANGE function. You can use the MEDIAN function with a specific range of cells that contain numeric values to determine the median. This can be done by using the MEDIAN function in Excel; “=Median(number1, number2…)”
Q4.How can I use the named ranges in WPS Office for data analysis and formula calculations?
The use of naming ranges in WPS Office improves data organization and streamlines formula usage. You can give ranges meaningful names by using the Name Manager method or the Define Range method, which makes it simpler to refer to particular data subsets in your worksheets.
Choose WPS Spreadsheet For Effective Data Handling
While you can extract the range of a dataset separately, why not opt for the convenient Excel Range function that provides you with the minimum and maximum values in a matter of seconds? And when it comes to handling data, why wouldn't you choose WPS Spreadsheet, which is not only simpler to use than Excel but also offers superior performance? Download WPS Office today and experience the difference.
