Can i multiply in excel

Multiplying and dividing in Excel is easy, but you need to create a simple formula to do it. Just remember that all formulas in Excel begin with an equal sign (=), and you can use the formula bar to create them.

Multiply numbers

Let’s say you want to figure out how much bottled water that you need for a customer conference (total attendees × 4 days × 3 bottles per day) or the reimbursement travel cost for a business trip (total miles × 0.46). There are several ways to multiply numbers.

Multiply numbers in a cell

To do this task, use the * (asterisk) arithmetic operator.

For example, if you type =5*10 in a cell, the cell displays the result, 50.

Multiply a column of numbers by a constant number

Suppose you want to multiply each cell in a column of seven numbers by a number that is contained in another cell. In this example, the number you want to multiply by is 3, contained in cell C2.

1. Type =A2*$B$2 in a new column in your spreadsheet (the above example uses column D). Be sure to include a $ symbol before B and before 2 in the formula, and press ENTER.

   Note: Using $ symbols tells Excel that the reference to B2 is «absolute,» which means that when you copy the formula to another cell, the reference will always be to cell B2. If you didn’t use $ symbols in the formula and you dragged the formula down to cell B3, Excel would change the formula to =A3*C3, which wouldn’t work, because there is no value in B3.

2. Drag the formula down to the other cells in the column.

   Note: In Excel 2016 for Windows, the cells are populated automatically.

Multiply numbers in different cells by using a formula

You can use the PRODUCT function to multiply numbers, cells, and ranges.

You can use any combination of up to 255 numbers or cell references in the PRODUCT function. For example, the formula =PRODUCT(A2,A4:A15,12,E3:E5,150,G4,H4:J6) multiplies two single cells (A2 and G4), two numbers (12 and 150), and three ranges (A4:A15, E3:E5, and H4:J6).

Divide numbers

Let’s say you want to find out how many person hours it took to finish a project (total project hours ÷ total people on project) or the actual miles per gallon rate for your recent cross-country trip (total miles ÷ total gallons). There are several ways to divide numbers.

Divide numbers in a cell

To do this task, use the / (forward slash) arithmetic operator.

For example, if you type =10/5 in a cell, the cell displays 2.

Important: Be sure to type an equal sign (=) in the cell before you type the numbers and the / operator; otherwise, Excel will interpret what you type as a date. For example, if you type 7/30, Excel may display 30-Jul in the cell. Or, if you type 12/36, Excel will first convert that value to 12/1/1936 and display 1-Dec in the cell.

Note: There is no DIVIDE function in Excel.

Divide numbers by using cell references

Instead of typing numbers directly in a formula, you can use cell references, such as A2 and A3, to refer to the numbers that you want to divide and divide by.

Example:

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

How to copy an example

1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.

2. Select the example in the Help topic.

   Note: Do not select the row or column headers.

   

   Selecting an example from Help

3. Press CTRL+C.

4. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.

5. To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Formulas tab, click the Show Formulas button.

	A	B	C
1	Data	Formula	Description (Result)
2	15000	=A2/A3	Divides 15000 by 12 (1250)
3	12

Divide a column of numbers by a constant number

Suppose you want to divide each cell in a column of seven numbers by a number that is contained in another cell. In this example, the number you want to divide by is 3, contained in cell C2.

	A	B	C
1	Data	Formula	Constant
2	15000	=A2/$C$2	3
3	12	=A3/$C$2
4	48	=A4/$C$2
5	729	=A5/$C$2
6	1534	=A6/$C$2
7	288	=A7/$C$2
8	4306	=A8/$C$2

1. Type =A2/$C$2 in cell B2. Be sure to include a $ symbol before C and before 2 in the formula.

2. Drag the formula in B2 down to the other cells in column B.

Note: Using $ symbols tells Excel that the reference to C2 is «absolute,» which means that when you copy the formula to another cell, the reference will always be to cell C2. If you didn’t use $ symbols in the formula and you dragged the formula down to cell B3, Excel would change the formula to =A3/C3, which wouldn’t work, because there is no value in C3.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

See Also

Multiply a column of numbers by the same number

Multiply by a percentage

Create a multiplication table

Calculation operators and order of operations

Here are several ways how to multiply in excel. We are providing a guide on the best ways of multiplication in excel. Follow and get your best appropriate way. To make the most straightforward multiplication formula in Excel, type the equals sign (=) in a cell, then type the first number you want to multiply, followed by an asterisk, accompanied by the second number, and hit the Enter key to add the formula.

For instance, to multiply 2 by 5, you write this expression in a cell (with no spaces): =2*5

Excel allows showing different arithmetic operations within one formula. Just learn about the order of calculations (PEMDAS): parentheses, multiplication, exponentiation, or division, whichever comes first, addition, or subtraction, whichever occurs first.

If you encounter troubles while working with Excel tables, one of the common reasons is the .xlsx file corruption. The Excel repair software is able to deal with this sort of problem with ease and allows the user to continue working with Excel files properly.

How to Multiply Cells in MSExcel  

To multiply two Excel cells, use a multiplication formula like in the above example, but supply cell references instead of numbers. For instance, to multiply the value in cell A2 by the value in B2, write this expression:

=A2*B2

To multiply multiple cells, involve more cell references in the formula, separated by the multiplication sign. For example:

=A2*B2*C2

How to Multiply Columns in Excel

To multiply two columns in MSExcel, type the multiplication formula for the topmost cell, for instance:

=A2*B2

After you’ve set the formula in the first cell (C2 in this example), double-click the small green square in the lower-right corner of the cell to copy the formula down the column, up to the end cell with data:

Due to the use of relative cell references (without the $ sign), our MSExcel multiply formula will adjust appropriately for each row.

In my view, this is the best but not the only approach to multiplying one column by another. You can learn other entrances in this tutorial: How to multiply columns in MSExcel.

How to Multiply Rows in Excel

Multiplying rows in Excel is a less familiar task, but there is a simple solution for it too. To multiply two rows in MSExcel, do the following:

1. Enter a multiplication formula in the first (leftmost) cell.
2. In this example, we multiply values in row 1 by the values in row 2, beginning with column B. So our formula goes as follows: =B1*B2
3. Choose the formula cell, and hover the mouse cursor over a little square at the lower right-hand corner until it changes to a thick black cross.
4. Pull that black cross rightward over the cells where you need to copy the formula.

As with multiplying columns, the corresponding cell references in the formula change based on a relative position of rows and columns, multiplying a value in row 1 by a value in row 2 in each column.

How to Multiply in MSExcel – Multiply Function in Excel (PRODUCT)

If you want to multiply multiple cells or ranges, the fastest method would be using the PRODUCT function:

PRODUCT(number1, [number2], …)

Where number1, number2, etc. are numbers, cells, or areas that you need to multiply.

For instance, to multiply values in cells A2, B2, and C2, apply this formula:

=PRODUCT(A2:C2)

To multiply the figures in cells A2 through C2, and then multiply the outcome by 3, use this one:

=PRODUCT(A2:C2,3)

Multiply Numbers in Excel by Using the Product Formula

You can use the basic formula to cross multiply the numbers in MSexcel if you use the product formula to multiply up to 255 values at once.

• So, First, go to MS Excel and choose any blank cell. Then type an equal symbol, followed by the word PRODUCT. Next, add an opening addition.
• Multiply Individual Cells, type the names of the cells and divide them with commas without space.
• To Multiply a Series of Cells, type a colon between two cells’ names to specify that all cells within that range should be multiplied. For instance, “=PRODUCT(A2:A5)” point out that cells A2,A3, A4, and A5 should be multiplied.
• If you want to add a number to the equation, so enter a comma and then that number.
• When you complete entering the Values of your formula, then put a closing Parenthesis at last and hit the “Enter” button on your Keyboard. The equation answer will all show in the cell.

How to Multiply by Percentage in Excel

To multiply percentages in MSExcel, do a multiplication formula in this way: type the equals sign, followed by the number or cell, followed by the multiply sign (*), followed by a percentage.

In other terms, make a formula similar to these:

• To multiply a number by percentage: =50*10%
• To multiply a cell by percentage: =A1*10%

Rather than percentages, you can multiply by a similar decimal number. For example, knowing that 10 percent is ten parts of a hundred (0.1), use the following expression to multiply 50 by 10%: =50*0.1

How to Multiply a Column by a Number in the Excel

To multiply a column of numbers by the corresponding number, proceed with these steps:

1. Insert the number to multiply by in some cell, say in A2.
2. Type a multiplication formula for the topmost cell in the column.
3. Considering the numbers to be multiplied are in column C, beginning in row 2. You set the following formula in D2:
4. =C2*$A$2
5. You must lock the column and row coordinates of the cell with the number to multiply by to prevent the reference from changing when you copy the formula to other cells. For this, type the $ symbol before the column letter and row number to make an absolute reference ($A$2). Or, click on the reference and press the F4 key to change it to complete.
6. Double-click enough handle in the formula cell (D2) to copy the formula down the column. Done!

C2 (relative reference) changes to C3 when the formula is copied to row 3, while $A$2 (absolute reference) continues unchanged:

If the design of your worksheet does not provide an additional cell to accommodate the number, you can supply it directly in the formula, e.g., =C2*3

You can also apply the Paste Special > multiply feature to multiply a column by a constant number and get the results as values rather than formulas. Please check out this example for detailed instructions.

How to Multiply and Sum in Excel

When you require to multiply two columns or rows of numbers, and then add up the results of different calculations, use the SUMPRODUCT function to multiply cells and sum products.

Assuming you have prices in column B, quantity in column C, and calculate the total value of sales. In your math class, you’d multiply each Price/Qty. Pair individually and add up the sub-totals.

In Microsoft Excel, all these computations can be done with a single formula:

=SUMPRODUCT(B2:B5,C2:C5)

If you want, you can check the outcome with this calculation:

=(B2*C2)+(B3*C3)+(B4*C4)+(B5*C5)

And make assured the SUMPRODUCT formula multiplies and sums correctly:

Multiplication in Array Formulas

In case you want to multiply two columns of numbers and then perform further calculations with the results. Do multiplication within an array formula.

In the higher data set, another way to calculate the total value of sales is this:

=SUM(B2:B5*C2:C5)

This Excel Sum Multiply formula is equivalent to SUMPRODUCT and returns precisely the same result.

Taking the case further, let’s find an average sales. For this, use the AVERAGE function instead of SUM:

=AVERAGE(B2:B5*C2:C5)

To find the most extensive and smallest sale, use the MAX and MIN functions, respectively:

=MAX(B2:B5*C2:C5)

=MIN(B2:B5*C2:C5)

To complete an array formula correctly, be sure to press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter combination instead of entering a stroke. As quickly as you do this, Excel will enclose the formula in {curly braces}, indicating it’s an array formula.

Conclusion

Suppose you belong to any organization or company. In that case, this guide will be helpful for you because it includes all the multiplication methods and it means a lot to every organizational person. Multiplication in excel is not as difficult as you think. But if you want to do it quickly, you must memorize the formula to convert the complex method into an easy method. Let us know how much the excel sheet is helpful for you.

• You can multiply in Excel using a few different methods. 
• It’s easy to multiply two numbers in Excel, but you can also multiply many different cells and numbers together, or multiply a column of values by a constant. 
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Multiplying values is one of the most frequently performed functions in Excel, so it should be no surprise that there are several ways to do this. 

You can use whichever method is best suited to what you are trying to accomplish in your spreadsheet on a Mac or PC. 

Here are a few of your simplest options to perform multiplication. 

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How to multiply two numbers in Excel

The easiest way to do this is by multiplying numbers in a single cell using a simple formula. 

For example, if you type «=2*6» into a cell and press Enter on the keyboard, you should see the cell display «12.»

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You can also multiply two different cells together.

1. In a cell, type «=» 

2. Click in the cell that contains the first number you want to multiply. 

3. Type «*».

4. Click the second cell you want to multiply.

5. Press Enter. 

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How to multiply cells and numbers using the PRODUCT formula

You aren’t limited to multiplying just two cells — you can multiply up to 255 values at once using the PRODUCT formula. 

Using this formula, you can multiply individual cells and numbers by separating them with commas and multiply a series of cells with a colon. 

For example, in the formula «=PRODUCT(A1,A3:A5,B1,10)» — Excel would multiply (A1 x A3 x A4 x A5 x B1 x 10) because A3:A5 indicates that it should multiply A3, A4, and A5. 

Remember that the order of these cells and numbers is irrelevant in multiplication. 

How to multiply a column of values by a constant

Suppose you have a series of numbers and want to multiply each one of them by the same value. You can do that by using an absolute reference to the cell that contains the constant.

1. Set up a column of numbers you want to multiply, and then put the constant in another cell.

2. In a new cell, type «=» and click the first cell you want to multiply. 

3. Type the name of the cell that contains the constant, adding a «$» before both the letter and number. The dollar sign turns this into an absolute reference, so it won’t change if you copy and paste it in the spreadsheet.

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4. Press Enter.

5. You can now copy and paste this to additional cells to perform the multiplication on the other numbers. The easiest way to do this is to drag the cell by its lower right corner to copy it. 

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Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he’s also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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