When working with numbers in Excel, sometimes I need to simplify things by rounding them down to the nearest integer. That’s where the INT function comes in handy. It’s one of the most straightforward mathematical functions, but it can be incredibly useful in various scenarios.
What is the INT function in Excel?
The INT function in Excel stands for integer. It takes a number and rounds it down to the nearest whole number. This means that regardless of whether the number is negative or positive, Excel will always round it down toward the lower integer.
Syntax of the INT function
The syntax for the INT function is incredibly simple:
=INT(number)Where:
- number – This is the real number that Excel will round down.
How does INT work in Excel?
Let’s take a look at some examples to fully understand how the INT function behaves.
| Formula | Result | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| =INT(5.9) | 5 | Rounds 5.9 down to 5. |
| =INT(-3.2) | -4 | Rounds -3.2 down to -4 (not -3, since INT always rounds down). |
| =INT(7) | 7 | Whole numbers remain unchanged (7 stays 7). |
Best INT examples in Excel
To really understand the power of INT, let’s go over some practical scenarios where it proves useful.
1. Extracting the integer part of a division
Sometimes, I need to divide numbers and only keep the whole number part of the quotient. Let’s say I have 23 apples, and I want to divide them among 4 people:
=INT(23/4)This returns 5 because 23 divided by 4 is 5.75, and the INT function rounds it down to 5.
2. Converting positive and negative decimals to whole numbers
One crucial thing to remember is that INT always rounds down. Take a look at these cases:
=INT(9.8)→ Returns 9=INT(-9.8)→ Returns -10
When dealing with positive numbers, this works just like the ROUNDDOWN function. But for negative numbers, rounding down means going further away from zero.
3. Extracting whole hours from a time value
If I have a list of times in decimal format (e.g., 8.75 hours), but I only want the whole hours, I can use:
=INT(A2)Where A2 contains the decimal time (e.g., 8.75), INT will return 8.
4. Grouping numerical values
Let’s say I’m working on a dataset where I need to group salaries into bands. If I have the following numbers:
- 49,500 → INT(49,500 / 10,000) * 10,000 → Returns 40,000
- 76,800 → INT(76,800 / 10,000) * 10,000 → Returns 70,000
Differences between INT and other rounding functions
The INT function is great for rounding down, but Excel provides other functions that behave differently. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Function | Behavior | Example |
|---|---|---|
| INT | Always rounds down to the nearest integer. | INT(4.8) = 4 |
| ROUNDDOWN | Rounds down (truncates) without considering sign. | ROUNDDOWN(-4.8, 0) = -4 |
| ROUND | Rounds to the nearest integer based on normal rounding rules. | ROUND(4.8, 0) = 5 |
| FLOOR | Rounds down to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. | FLOOR(4.8, 2) = 4 |
| TRUNC | Removes decimals without rounding. | TRUNC(-4.8) = -4 |
Final thoughts
The INT function in Excel is a simple but powerful tool that helps me round numbers down to their nearest integer. It’s particularly useful when handling division results, time calculations, and rounding down negative numbers correctly. While other rounding functions like ROUND or TRUNC exist, INT remains one of the best choices for consistently rounding down.
Now that I’ve covered the essentials, I hope you’ll find creative ways to apply INT in your Excel projects!
Other interesting article:
How ROUNDDOWN works in Excel? Best ROUNDDOWN examples