Excel MIN Function
Summary
The Excel MIN function returns the smallest numeric value in a range of values. The MIN function ignores empty cells, the logical values TRUE and FALSE, and text values.
Purpose
Get the smallest value.
Return value
The smallest value in the array.
Syntax
=MIN (number1, [number2], ...)
Arguments
- number1 - Number, reference to numeric value, or range that contains numeric values.
- number2 - [optional] Number, reference to numeric value, or range that contains numeric values.
Usage notes
The MIN function can be used to return the smallest value from a set of data. For example, the fastest time in a race, the lowest temperature, or the smallest sales number. Arguments can be provided as constants, or as cell references or ranges, for example:
Notes:
- The MIN function ignores empty cells.
- The MIN function in current versions of Excel accepts up to 255 arguments. If arguments contain no numbers, MIN returns 0.
- Arguments can be provided as numbers, names, arrays, or references that contain numbers.
- The MIN function ignores TRUE and FALSE values, and numbers entered as text, unless they are typed directly into the list of arguments.
- To include logical values in a reference, see the MINA function.
MIN formula examples
You can get the last column in a range with a formula based on the COLUMN function.
In the example shown, the formula in cell F5 is:
=MIN(COLUMN(data))+COLUMNS(data)-1
where data is a named range for B5:D10
How...
You can get the last row in a range with a formula based on the ROW function.
In the example shown, the formula in cell F5 is:
=MIN(ROW(data))+ROWS(data)-1
where data is a named range for B5:D10
How this formula...
To get the smaller, or lesser, of two values, you can use the MIN function. In the example shown, the formula in D5 is:
=MIN(B5,C5)
How this formula works
The MIN function is fully automatic - it returns the...
To get the minimum value from a set of numbers, use the MIN function.
In the example shown, the formula in cell I6 is:
=MIN(C6:G6)
The MIN function is fully automatic. It accepts one or more arguments, which can be...
Excel does not offer a "min if" function, so to get a minimum value based on criteria, you can use the MIN function together with the IF function.
This is an array formula and must be entered with Control + Shift +...
To test if a numeric value falls between two numbers, you can use the AND function with two logical tests.
In the example shown, the formula in E5 is:
=AND(D5>MIN(B5,C5),D5<MAX(B5,C5))
How this formula...
To calculate a percentage based value capped at a specific amount, you can use the MIN function.
In the example shown, the formula in D6 is:
=MIN(C6*10%,1000)
How this formula works
This formula takes advantage of...
To calculate the number of days that overlap in two date ranges, you can use basic date arithmetic, together with the the MIN and MAX functions.
In the example shown, the formula in D6 is:
=MAX(MIN(end,C6)-MAX(start,...
To lookup information associated with the lowest value in table, you can use a formula based on INDEX, MATCH, and MIN functions.
In the example shown, a formula is used to identify the name of the contractor with the...
Context
You have a start time and an end time, and you want to know how many of the hours in between these two times overlap another time period in the day. For example, you want to know how many hours fall between 8:...
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