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ROUND Function in Excel: ROUND, ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN and MROUND
ROUND rounds a number to the number of digits you choose. Its siblings ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN and MROUND always round up, always round down, or round to a multiple such as 5 cents.
Excel CSE · 3 min readIn this guide
ROUND syntax
=ROUND(number, num_digits)| num_digits | Rounds to | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 decimals | =ROUND(3.14159, 2) | 3.14 |
| 1 | 1 decimal | =ROUND(3.14159, 1) | 3.1 |
| 0 | Whole number | =ROUND(3.6, 0) | 4 |
| -1 | Tens | =ROUND(1234.5, -1) | 1230 |
| -2 | Hundreds | =ROUND(1234.5, -2) | 1200 |
| -3 | Thousands | =ROUND(1234.5, -3) | 1000 |
A 5 is rounded away from zero: =ROUND(2.5, 0) gives 3 and =ROUND(-2.5, 0) gives -3.
Rounding is not the same as formatting
The Decrease Decimal button only changes how a number looks. The cell still holds every decimal, and calculations use the full value. That's why a column of prices showing two decimals can add up to a total that looks one cent off.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stored value | Shown with 2 decimals | =ROUND(A,2) |
| 2 | 1.004 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 3 | 1.004 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 4 | 1.004 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 5 | Sum | 3.01 | 3.00 |
The formatted column shows 1.00 three times but adds up to 3.012, displayed as 3.01. The rounded column adds up to exactly 3.00. If the rounded value is what matters (invoices, VAT, payroll), use ROUND in the formula.
ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN
They take the same arguments as ROUND but always go in one direction, away from or towards zero:
=ROUNDUP(3.141, 2)returns 3.15=ROUNDDOWN(3.149, 2)returns 3.14=ROUNDUP(41/12, 0)returns 4: you need 4 boxes to pack 41 items in boxes of 12.
Round to a multiple: MROUND
=MROUND(number, multiple)=MROUND(17, 5)returns 15 (nearest multiple of 5)=MROUND(1.23, 0.05)returns 1.25 (nearest 5 cents)=MROUND(A2, "0:15")rounds a time to the nearest quarter hour
To always round up or down to a multiple, use CEILING.MATH and FLOOR.MATH: =CEILING.MATH(17, 5) returns 20.
Drop the decimals: INT and TRUNC
=TRUNC(8.9) simply cuts off the decimals and returns 8. =INT(8.9) also returns 8, but for negative numbers INT rounds down: =INT(-8.9) returns -9, while =TRUNC(-8.9) returns -8.
Round the result of another formula
Wrap any calculation in ROUND to round its result: =ROUND(AVERAGE(B2:B10), 1) or =ROUND(B2*21%, 2) for VAT in cents.
Frequently asked questions
How do I round to the nearest whole number in Excel?
Use =ROUND(A2, 0). To always round up use ROUNDUP(A2, 0), to always round down use ROUNDDOWN(A2, 0).
How do I round to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000?
Use a negative number of digits: -1 for tens, -2 for hundreds, -3 for thousands. For example, =ROUND(1234, -2) returns 1200.
Why does my total look one cent off?
The cells are formatted to show two decimals but contain more. Round each value with ROUND in the formula, so the stored values match what you see.
What's the difference between ROUND and MROUND?
ROUND rounds to a number of digits. MROUND rounds to the nearest multiple of any value you choose, such as 5, 0.25 or 15 minutes.