Question: I have two columns and how do I identify the largest number?

Answer: I created two named ranges.  List 1: List1 (A2:A10) and List 2: List2 (C2:C10). See picture below.

Formula in B13: =IF(MAX(List1)>MAX(List2),"List 1","List 2")

Formula in B14: =IF(MAX(List1)>MAX(List2),MAX(List1),MAX(List2))

Formula in B15: =IF(MAX(List1)>MAX(List2), MIN(IF(MAX(List1)=List1, ROW(List1);"")), MIN(IF(MAX(List2)=List2, ROW(List2),""))) + Ctrl + Shift + Enter

Download excel sample file for this article.
max-from-two-columns.xls
(Excel 97-2003 Workbook *.xls)

Functions in this article:

IF(logical_test;[value_if:true];[value_if_false])
Checks whether a condition is met, and returns one value if TRUE, and another value if FALSE

ROW(reference) returns the rownumber of a reference

MIN(number1,[number2])
Returns the smallest number in a set of values. Ignores logical values and text

MAX(number1,[number2],)
Returns the largest value in a set of values. Ignores logical values and text.

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