MIN Function in Excel (Table of Contents)
MIN in Excel
Min function simply returns the minimum or lowest value from the selected range of numbers whether a number is positive or negative it will return the lowest number both manner. For this, we just require a minimum of 2 numbers at least among those using Min function we can find which is the lowest number. It does not consider text or any other character apart from the number, but it skips these things if ever comes into selected range.
MIN Formula in Excel:
Below is the MIN Formula:
Arguments:
number1:- This number1 refers to numeric value or range which contains a numeric value.
number2-[optional]:- This number2 refers to numeric value or range which contains a numeric value.
Steps to Open MIN Function in Excel:
We can find the MIN function in Excel under the category statistical function
- Choose formulas. Click insert function. We will get a dialogue box. In the dialogue box choose the category and select the MIN function.
- Another way of the shortcut is in the advanced version we can able to find more option in the formula bar. Choose more function and select the category statistical and choose the MIN function
Now let’s see the example of how the Min function works with the given data.
How to Use MIN Function in Excel?
MIN Function is very simple to use. Let us now see how to use MIN function in Excel with the help of some examples.
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Example #1
In the following example, we are going to see the MIN function using numerical values, text, null values, and negative values.
MIN function in excel always return the smallest value depends on the given data.
Negative Value:
MIN Function in excel always consider the numeric values even if we have a range of negative values it will consider only numeric values.
If we have data with negative values this MIN function will consider the lowest negative values of the given data and return the lowest negative value. Let’s see the below example which shows sales data with negatives values.
In the above example now we are going to find out the minimum sales values and follow the below steps
- Insert the MIN function
- Select the cell from where the data has been placed to assume that selecting C2:C9
Result:
In the above example we have seen MIN function return lowest negative value as-150, So we can understand that MIN function will consider numeric values and also lowest negative values.
Text Values :
Lets see another example using text where MIN function is used exactly
We are going to consider the same sales data with little modification changed in sales data which is shown below.
In the above sales data, we noticed that we have mentioned some grade names to the particular product name where Walker is named as Grade A and Car Seat is named as Grade B which are most top-selling online selling product.
Now we are going to use the MIN function to calculate the smallest value as we have already mentioned that MIN function only consider the numeric values and omits the text values
Let’s apply the MIN function and check the result.
- First, insert the function MIN
- Select the cells from C2:C9
- =MIN(C2:C9)
In the above example, it clearly shows that MIN function considered only numeric values and omitted the text and returned the smallest value of the given values.
MIN function using NULL Values:
Assume that we have sales data with null values where sales have not happened for the specific month in this case if we apply MIN function it will consider the same numeric values and omits the null values
Let’s see a working example to check the result, we have modified the same sales data with some small modification where we have mentioned some of the product sales values as null valued i.e blank values.
- First, insert the MIN function
- Select the cell from C2:C9
- =MIN(C2:C9)
Result:
In the below example MIN function returned only the MIN value and omitted the null values which is shown below
In this example, we have some range of numbers in A and B column
Follow the below steps to find out the minimum value .
- First, enter the function in cell A8
- =MIN(A2:A7).
- Press Enter.
Now the MIN function will find the minimum value within the range of data and the result has been shown below.
Similarly, we find min value for column B
So we have find out the minimum value as 12 within the given range of data and same as in the B column the min value is 11.
Example #2
In the below example we have some set of sales data with category wise sales value. Assume that we need to find out the specific category of minimum sales value. Here MIN function will be useful to find out the exact match.
In this example we are going to find the specific category named stroller MIN value in order to find out the minimum value please follow the below step
- Insert the MIN function
- Select the category type stroller
- =MIN(G2,G3,G8,G9)
- Press Enter
- We will get the result as 125 as the MIN value for the category stroller
Example #3
Let’s see the another example where we need to find the lowest mark of the students by gender wise
In order to find out the Lowest mark of the student’s gender wise please follow the below steps
- Insert the MIN Function
- Select the Gender column male and choose the MIN number.
- =MIN(L2,L3,L4,L5,L6)
Result:
Now we got the lowest mark for the male category as 35
Now we need to find out the Lowest mark for the female category
In order to find out the Lowest mark of the student’s gender wise please follow the below steps
- Insert the MIN Function
- Select the Gender column female and choose the MIN number.
- =MIN(L7,L8,L9)
Result:
Finally, we got the lowest mark under the female category as shown below
Suppose if we have GRADE mentioned in the student’s mark list, how this MIN function works. Let’s see with the example
- Insert the MIN function
- Select the female gender category
- =MIN(L7,L8,L9)
We have seen that in the MARKS Column Grade A is mentioned for the particular student if we apply the min function excel will take only integer values and return the minimum value as shown in the below screenshot.
Common errors occur while using MIN in Excel:
- #Value: we have seen this error mostly in all the cases min function return this error if any non-numeric values have been used.
- MIN function will not consider logical, null and text values.
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