INT
Rounds a number down to the nearest integer.
=INT(number)This static page keeps the function indexed for search, while the spreadsheet app handles interactive exploration and saved formulas.
What the function does
Overview
Rounds a number down to the nearest integer.
The INT function calculates the integer portion of a numeric value by rounding down to the nearest integer. While it appears to simply remove decimals for positive numbers, its behavior with negative values is distinct: it rounds away from zero (e.g., -1.1 becomes -2). This is mathematically consistent with the concept of 'rounding down' on a number line. Best practices suggest using INT specifically when you need the floor of a value, such as extracting the date portion from a datetime stamp in Excel, where dates are stored as integers and times are fractions. If you simply wish to strip decimals without rounding down negative numbers, the TRUNC function is usually a more appropriate choice to avoid logic errors in financial or engineering calculations.
Quick reference
Syntax
=INT(number)Inputs
Arguments
Example: A2
Formula patterns
Examples
Extract Date from Datetime
=INT(A2)Determine Full Units from Bulk Quantity
=INT(A2/B2)Find Floor Value of Negative Adjustments
=INT(A2)Avoid these issues
Common Errors
#VALUE!
Cause: The argument provided is a non-numeric string or a reference to a cell containing text.
Fix: Clean the data to ensure the referenced cell contains a numeric value, or wrap the reference in VALUE(A2) if the number is stored as text.
Unexpected Logic Shift
Cause: Applying INT to negative numbers rounds them further from zero (e.g., -0.1 becomes -1), which may disrupt calculations expecting simple truncation.
Fix: Use the TRUNC function if you only want to remove the decimal portion regardless of whether the number is positive or negative.
Platform support
Compatibility
Source: Microsoft Support
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Rounds a number down to the nearest integer.
number: Number to convert
#VALUE!: Clean the data to ensure the referenced cell contains a numeric value, or wrap the reference in VALUE(A2) if the number is stored as text. Unexpected Logic Shift: Use the TRUNC function if you only want to remove the decimal portion regardless of whether the number is positive or negative.