ExcelMathBeginner

FLOOR

Rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of significance.

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=FLOOR(number, significance)
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What the function does

Overview

Rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of significance.

The FLOOR function rounds a number downwards, towards zero, to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. This is useful for calculations where values must be truncated to a specific increment, such as calculating the number of full batches that can be made from a quantity of raw material, or determining the start of a time interval. For example, FLOOR(2.7, 0.5) would return 2.5, as 2.5 is the largest multiple of 0.5 that is less than or equal to 2.7. Similar to CEILING, both `number` and `significance` must have the same sign; otherwise, the function will return a #NUM! error. If `number` is an exact multiple of `significance`, no rounding occurs. For more flexible handling of negative numbers, consider using FLOOR.MATH or FLOOR.PRECISE.

Quick reference

Syntax

=FLOOR(number, significance)

Inputs

Arguments

numberThe number you want to round.
Example: A2
significanceThe multiple to which you want to round.
Example: 0.05

Formula patterns

Examples

1

Round Down to Nearest Quarter

=FLOOR(2.83, 0.25)
roundinginventoryincrements
2

Round Down Time to Nearest Hour

=FLOOR(TIME(10, 45, 0), TIME(1, 0, 0))
timescheduling

Avoid these issues

Common Errors

1

#NUM!

Cause: The 'number' and 'significance' arguments have different signs.

Fix: Ensure both 'number' and 'significance' are either both positive or both negative. If you need to handle mixed signs, consider FLOOR.MATH or FLOOR.PRECISE.

2

#VALUE!

Cause: One or both arguments are non-numeric.

Fix: Verify that 'number' and 'significance' are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers.

Platform support

Compatibility

Excel 2007+Google Sheets

Available in all modern versions of Excel. FLOOR.MATH and FLOOR.PRECISE offer more flexible sign handling.

Source: Microsoft Support

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of significance.

number: The number you want to round. significance: The multiple to which you want to round.

#NUM!: Ensure both 'number' and 'significance' are either both positive or both negative. If you need to handle mixed signs, consider FLOOR.MATH or FLOOR.PRECISE. #VALUE!: Verify that 'number' and 'significance' are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers.