Purpose
Return value
Syntax
=CEILING.MATH(number,[significance],[mode])- number - The number that should be rounded.
- significance - [optional] Multiple to use when rounding. Default is 1.
- mode - [optional] Round negative numbers toward or away from zero. Default is 0.
How to use
The Excel CEILING.MATH function rounds a number up to a given multiple, where multiple is provided as the significance argument. If the number is already an exact multiple, no rounding occurs and the original number is returned.
The CEILING.MATH function takes three arguments, number, significance, and mode. Number is the numeric value to round up, and is the only required argument. With no other input, CEILING.MATH will round number up to the next integer.
The significance argument is the multiple to which number should be rounded. In most cases, significance is provided as a numeric value, but CEILING.MATH can also understand time entered as text like "0:15". The default value of significance is 1.
The mode argument controls the direction negative values are rounded. By default, CEILING.MATH rounds negative values up toward zero. Setting mode to 1 or TRUE changes behavior so that negative values are rounded away from zero. The default value of mode is 0 or FALSE, so you can think of mode as a setting that means "round away from zero". Mode has no effect when number is positive.
Examples
By default, CEILING.MATH rounds to the nearest integer, using a significance of 1.
=CEILING.MATH(1.25) // returns 2
Provide a value for significance to round to a different multiple:
=CEILING.MATH(1.25,3) // returns 3
=CEILING.MATH(4.1,3) // returns 6
=CEILING.MATH(4.1,0.5) // returns 4.5
Rounding negative numbers
By default, positive numbers with decimal portions are rounded up to the nearest integer and negative numbers with decimal portions are rounded toward zero:
=CEILING.MATH(6.3) // returns 7
=CEILING.MATH(-6.3) // returns -6
Control for rounding negative numbers toward zero or away from zero is provided via the optional mode argument. Mode defaults to zero. When mode is zero, or omitted, CEILING.MATH rounds negative numbers toward zero. When mode is 1 or TRUE, CEILING.MATH rounds negative numbers away from zero. Mode has no effect on positive numbers.
=CEILING.MATH(-4.1) // returns -4
=CEILING.MATH(-4.1,1) // returns -4
=CEILING.MATH(-4.1,1,1) // returns -5
=CEILING.MATH(-4.1,1,TRUE) // returns -5
CEILING.MATH vs CEILING
The CEILING.MATH function together with the CEILING.PRECISE function replace the original CEILING function, which is now classified as a "compatibility function". The behavior is very similar, but CEILING.MATH provides explicit control over how negative numbers are rounded. CEILING.MATH differs from CEILING in these key ways:
- Rounds up to the next integer by default (i.e. significance defaults to 1)
- Provides explicit control for rounding negative numbers (toward zero, away from zero)
- Changing the sign of significance has no effect on the result; use mode instead.
Notes
- To round to the nearest multiple (up or down) see the MROUND function.
- CEILING.MATH works like CEILING, but provides control for rounding negative values.
- The mode argument has no effect on positive numbers.
- If number is an exact multiple of significance, no rounding occurs.
Related functions
MROUND Function
The Excel MROUND function returns a number rounded to a given multiple. MROUND will round a number up or down, depending on the nearest multiple.
FLOOR Function
The Excel FLOOR function rounds a given number down to the nearest specified multiple. FLOOR works like the MROUND function, but FLOOR always rounds down.
ROUND Function
The Excel ROUND function returns a number rounded to a given number of digits. The ROUND function can round to the right or left of the decimal point.
ROUNDDOWN Function
The Excel ROUNDDOWN function returns a number rounded down to a given number of places. Unlike standard rounding, where only numbers less than 5 are rounded down, ROUNDDOWN rounds all numbers down....
ROUNDUP Function
The Excel ROUNDUP function returns a number rounded up to a given number of decimal places. Unlike standard rounding, where only numbers less than 5 are rounded down, ROUNDUP rounds all numbers up....
CEILING Function
The Excel CEILING function rounds a given number up to the nearest specified multiple. CEILING works like the MROUND function, but CEILING always rounds up.
EVEN Function
The Excel EVEN function rounds numbers up to the next even integer. The EVEN function always rounds numbers away from zero, so positive numbers become larger and negative numbers become smaller (i.e. more negative).
ODD Function
The Excel ODD function returns the next odd integer after rounding a given number up. The ODD function always rounds numbers away from zero, so positive numbers become larger and negative numbers become smaller (i.e. more negative).
INT Function
The Excel INT function returns the integer part of a decimal number by rounding down to the integer. Note that negative numbers become more negative. For example, while INT(10.8) returns 10, INT(-10.8) returns -11.
TRUNC Function
The Excel TRUNC function returns a truncated number based on an (optional) number of digits. For example, TRUNC(4.9) will return 4, and TRUNC(-3.5) will return -3. The TRUNC function does no rounding, it simply truncates as specified.
