Get the smallest number larger than a given number
This article demonstrates how to extract the smallest number larger than a condition and the largest number smaller than a condition.
Table of Contents
1. Get the smallest number larger than a given number - Excel 2016
Question:
i have a data table with 2 columns:
A B
2.93 12.8
2.94 12.2
3 8.38
3.03 6.76
3.04 5.33
3.06 6.36
Lets say i have a cell with number 3. I need to find a number in column A that has a number >= than 3, but also has the smallest number in column B.
(with my cell = 3 it would be 3.04 from A and 5.33 from B)
Simple vlookup gives me first >= number, but in most cases in column B is not the smallest number.
Answer:
The formula extracts the smallest number larger than a given number displayed in cell F2.
Formula in E6:
The MINIFS function calculates the smallest value based on a given set of criteria.
MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
min_range - Required. A reference to the numbers.
criteria_range1 - A reference to cells to evaluate based on the criteria.
criteria1 - Criteria in the form of a number, expression, or text.
Formula in cell F6:
MINIFS function was introduced in Excel 2016, you can use the following formulas if you don't have access to the function.
1.1 Get the smallest number larger than a given number - Previous Excel versions
Array formula in E6 for previous Excel versions:
Array formula in F6 for previous Excel versions:
1.2 Explaining formula for previous versions in cell E6
MIN(IF(B3:B8>F2,B3:B8))
Step 1 - Construct logical expression
The logical expression is used in the IF function in order to return a given value. The > is a larger than sign.
B3:B8>F2
becomes
{2.93;2.94;3;3.03;3.04;3.06}>3
and returns
{FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE}
Step 2 - Extract values in array
IF(B3:B8>F2,B3:B8)
becomes
IF(B3:B8>F2,B3:B8)
becomes
IF({FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE},{2.93;2.94;3;3.03;3.04;3.06})
and returns
{FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; 3.03; 3.04; 3.06}
Step 3 - Find smallest value
The MIN function ignores text, blank and boolean values.
MIN(IF(B3:B8>F2,B3:B8))
becomes
MIN({FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; 3.03; 3.04; 3.06})
and returns 3.03 in cell E6.
2. Get the largest number smaller than a given number
Formula in cell E8:
Formula in cell F8:
The MAXIFS function returns the largest number based on a given set of criteria.
MAXIFS(max_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
min_range - Required. A reference to the numbers.
criteria_range1 - A reference to cells to evaluate based on the criteria.
criteria1 - Criteria in the form of a number, expression, or text.
2.1 Get the largest number smaller than a given number - Previous Excel versions
Array formula in E6 for previous Excel versions:
Array formula in F6 for previous Excel versions:
3. Get the smallest number larger than a given number and a condition
Formula in E6:
The MINIFS function calculates the smallest value based on a given set of criteria.
Formula in cell F6:
MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
min_range - Required. A reference to the numbers.
criteria_range1 - A reference to cells to evaluate based on the criteria.
criteria1 - Criteria in the form of a number, expression, or text.
MINIFS function was introduced in Excel 2016, you can use the following formulas if you don't have access to the function.
4. Get the smallest number larger than a given number in a date range
Formula in cell F10:
4.1 Explaining formula in cell F10
MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
Step 1 - First condition
The first criteria_range1 is C5:C10, the first criteria1 is ">"&G6.
The ampersand character concatenates the larger than character and the condition specified in cell G6.
C5:C10,">"&G6
The first criteria pair checks if the values in C5:C10 are larger than the value in cell G6.
The image above highlights which cells contain a number larger than the condition.
Step 2 - Second condition
The second criteria_range2 is B5:B10, the second criteria2 is ">="&G4.
The ampersand character concatenates the larger than character, the equal sign, and the condition specified in cell G4.
B5:B10,">="&G4
The second criteria pair checks if the dates in B5:B10 are later or equal to the date in cell G4.
The image above shows that all dates are equal or later than the start range date specified in cell G4.
Step 3 - Third condition
The third criteria_range2 is again B5:B10, the third criteria2 is "<="&G5.
The ampersand character concatenates the less than character, the equal sign, and the condition specified in cell G4.
B5:B10,"<="&G5
The second criteria pair checks if the dates in B5:B10 are later or equal to the date in cell G4.
The image above highlights dates equal to or earlier than the start range date specified in cell G4.
Step 4 - Evaluate MINIFS function
The MINIFS function calculates the smallest value based on a given set of criteria.
MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
MINIFS(C5:C10,C5:C10,">"&G6,B5:B10,">="&G4,B5:B10,"<="&G5)
returns 3.04 in cell F10. When all conditions are met value 3.04 is returned.
Formula in cell G10
MINIFS(D5:D10,D5:D10,">"&G6,B5:B10,">="&G4,B5:B10,"<="&G5)
returns 4.2. Values 4.2 and 5.33 meet all conditions, however, 4.2 is the smallest.
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Hi!
Could I please request a tutorial on how to get multiple results based on multiple criteria from different columns? An example of the problem is below,
Edit to hopefully be clearer
S/N...Sweet.....Sour.....Bitter...Type
1.....Sweet..............Bitter....A
2.............. Sour...............B
3.....Sweet.....Sour...............C
4........................Bitter....A
5..............Sour................B
The criteria for input will be Sweet or Sour or Bitter and Type.
For example, if input is Sweet and A, then the results will be 1, if input is Bitter and A, then the results will be 1 and 4.
I've been stuck at this for days....could you please help?
Thank you so much!!