ExcelMathBeginner

FLOOR.PRECISE

Rounds a number down to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded down regardless of its sign.

Read the syntaxReview worked examplesOpen the spreadsheet app
=FLOOR.PRECISE(number, [significance])
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What the function does

Overview

Rounds a number down to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded down regardless of its sign.

FLOOR.PRECISE is a rounding function that rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of `significance`, providing a more consistent behavior for negative numbers than the traditional FLOOR function. If `significance` is omitted, it defaults to 1. This function always rounds numbers down in magnitude. For positive numbers, it rounds towards zero. For negative numbers, it rounds away from zero. The sign of `significance` is ignored. This function is particularly useful when you need to ensure a value is truncated to a specific increment, with a predictable rounding direction for both positive and negative values. For example, FLOOR.PRECISE(2.7, 0.5) returns 2.5, and FLOOR.PRECISE(-2.7, 0.5) returns -3.0. This makes it a good choice for scenarios where you want to ensure a maximum value is not exceeded, irrespective of the number's initial sign, but with a more predictable rounding direction for negative numbers than FLOOR.

Quick reference

Syntax

=FLOOR.PRECISE(number, [significance])

Inputs

Arguments

numberThe number you want to round.
Example: A2
significance (optional)The multiple to which you want to round. Defaults to 1 if omitted. The sign of significance is ignored.
Example: 0.1

Formula patterns

Examples

1

Round Down Positive Number

=FLOOR.PRECISE(4.7, 1)
roundingpositive numbers
2

Round Down Negative Number (away from zero)

=FLOOR.PRECISE(-4.7, 1)
roundingnegative numbers

Avoid these issues

Common Errors

1

#VALUE!

Cause: One or both arguments are non-numeric.

Fix: Ensure 'number' and 'significance' (if used) are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers.

2

Unexpected Result

Cause: Misunderstanding of how negative numbers are rounded compared to FLOOR.MATH's 'mode' argument.

Fix: FLOOR.PRECISE always rounds negative numbers away from zero if significance is positive. If you need more control over negative number rounding direction, use FLOOR.MATH.

Platform support

Compatibility

Excel 2010+Google Sheets

Introduced in Excel 2010. Offers a simpler, more consistent rounding behavior for negative numbers than FLOOR.

Source: Microsoft Support

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Rounds a number down to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded down regardless of its sign.

number: The number you want to round. significance: The multiple to which you want to round. Defaults to 1 if omitted. The sign of significance is ignored.

#VALUE!: Ensure 'number' and 'significance' (if used) are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers. Unexpected Result: FLOOR.PRECISE always rounds negative numbers away from zero if significance is positive. If you need more control over negative number rounding direction, use FLOOR.MATH.