How to calculate a minimum in MS Excel

The MIN function in Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for identifying the smallest value within a specified range of cells. It’s commonly used in mathematical and statistical calculations to find the minimum numerical value in a dataset. By providing a quick and efficient way to determine the smallest value, the MIN function contributes to Excel’s data analysis and decision-making processes, making it an essential function for users of numerical data.

Syntax

The basic syntax for the MIN function is as follows:

Here, number1 and number2 represents the cell number or any numeric value. It’s worth noting that we have the flexibility to include additional cells as needed.

Note: Ranges or cell references can be used instead of explicit values.

Simple values

If we simply want to find out the minimum value between 10, 20, and 30, we will use the MIN function using the formula below:

List of cells

If we want to find the minimum by providing the list of cells, we can use the formula below:

Range of cells

If we want to find the minimum by providing the range of cells, we can use the formula below:

If we want to use the range of cells and want to skip a cell number, we can use the below formula:

The formula above calculates the minimum of cells A1, A2, A3, and A5.

Steps

The following is a step-by-step guide to using the MIN function:

1. Select the cell: We click the cell where we want the minimum value to appear.

2. Use the MIN function: We type =MIN( into the selected cell.

3. Select the range: If you want to calculate the minimum of the number of cells in the range A1 to A5, there are two ways to achieve the desired result:

   1. Write “A1:A5” after the opening parenthesis and then close the parenthesis and press “Enter.” The formula should look something like this: =MIN(A1:A5).

   2. You can also type “A1,A2,A3,A4,A5” between parentheses and press “Enter.” The formula should look something like this: =MIN(A1,A2,A3,A4,A5).

Let’s apply the steps above to our dataset. Let’s suppose we have the following dataset:

Now, our objective is to determine the minimum marks the student got in the required dataset. We have two ways to calculate the minimum. Let’s use both of them:

Using the MIN function with a list of cells

First, we select the cell where we need to calculate the MIN. Let’s suppose that the cell number is B9. After we select cell B9, we write the following in the cell:

Let’s visualize the steps above in action.

Note: As we can see in the slides above, when multiple cells are added, the system automatically highlights the cell number and alters its color for easier identification.

If an empty cell is included in a minimum formula and subsequently populated with a value, the total in cell B9, where the minimum is calculated, will automatically update to reflect the new value.

Using the MIN function by specifying the range

First, we select the cell where we need to calculate the MIN function. Let’s suppose that the cell number is B9. After we select cell B9, we write the following in the cell:

Let’s visualize the above steps in action.

Things to remember

• If we try to find the product of any value (other than numbers) enclosed in double quotes, it will throw a #VALUE! error.

• Empty cells, text, the logical values TRUE and FALSE, and text values are all ignored when used with a range or by typing the cell numbers.