ROUND: Round Numbers Precisely (2025)
Quick Answer: ROUND controls precision: =ROUND(3.14159, 2) returns 3.14. Positive num_digits = decimals. Negative = tens/hundreds. ROUNDUP always rounds up. ROUNDDOWN always rounds down. Use MROUND for nearest 5/10.
What is ROUND?
ROUND controls the precision of numbers by rounding to a specified number of digits. Use it to clean up calculations, display currency properly, or round to whole numbers.
Quick Examples:
=ROUND(3.14159, 2)
Returns: 3.14 (2 decimal places)
=ROUND(1234.56, 0)
Returns: 1235 (whole number)
=ROUND(1234.56, -2)
Returns: 1200 (nearest hundred)
The ROUND Family:
ROUND
Standard rounding (5+ up)
2.5 → 3
2.4 → 2
ROUNDUP
Always rounds up
2.1 → 3
2.9 → 3
ROUNDDOWN
Always rounds down
2.1 → 2
2.9 → 2
Num_digits Explained:
| Num_digits | Rounds to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 decimal places | 3.14159 → 3.14 |
| 0 | Whole number | 3.14159 → 3 |
| -1 | Nearest 10 | 1234 → 1230 |
| -2 | Nearest 100 | 1234 → 1200 |
| -3 | Nearest 1000 | 1234 → 1000 |
ROUND vs Display Formatting:
❌ Display Formatting
Actual value: 3.14159
Display: 3.14
Still 3.14159 in calculations!
✓ ROUND Function
Actual value: 3.14
Display: 3.14
Actually 3.14 in calculations
💡 Common Use Cases
- • Currency: Round to 2 decimals for dollars/cents
- • Percentages: Round to 1-2 decimals for readability
- • Measurements: Round to appropriate precision
- • Estimates: Round to tens/hundreds for approximations
- • Clean totals: Avoid floating point errors (0.1+0.2=0.30000000004)
ROUND Syntax
ROUND
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
Rounds to specified number of digits using standard rounding (5+ rounds up)
number (required)
Number to round
num_digits (required)
Number of digits to round to
Positive = decimals, 0 = whole, negative = tens/hundreds
ROUNDUP & ROUNDDOWN
=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)
=ROUNDDOWN(number, num_digits)
Same syntax as ROUND, but different behavior
- • ROUNDUP: Always rounds away from zero (up for positive, down for negative)
- • ROUNDDOWN: Always rounds toward zero (down for positive, up for negative)
Common Patterns
Currency (2 decimals)
=ROUND(A1, 2)
Whole Numbers
=ROUND(A1, 0)
Nearest Ten
=ROUND(A1, -1)
Percentage (1 decimal)
=ROUND(A1*100, 1)&"%"
Always Round Up
=ROUNDUP(A1/B1, 0)
For package quantities (3.1 items = 4 packages)
Other Rounding Functions
MROUND - Round to Multiple
Rounds to nearest multiple of 5
CEILING - Round Up to Multiple
Rounds up to nearest multiple of 10
FLOOR - Round Down to Multiple
Rounds down to nearest multiple of 10
⚠️ Important Notes
- • Changes actual value: ROUND modifies the number, not just display
- • Cascading errors: Rounding early can accumulate errors in complex calculations
- • Banker's rounding: Excel uses standard rounding (5 always up), not banker's
- • Negative numbers: ROUND(-2.5, 0) = -3 (away from zero)
- • Scientific notation: Very large/small numbers may display in scientific notation
- • Precision limits: Excel has 15-digit precision limit
12+ ROUND Examples
Basic ROUND
1. Round to 2 Decimals (Currency)
=ROUND(A2, 2)
3.14159 → 3.14
2. Round to Whole Number
=ROUND(A2, 0)
127.8 → 128
3. Round to Nearest Ten
=ROUND(A2, -1)
1234 → 1230
4. Round to Nearest Hundred
=ROUND(A2, -2)
1234 → 1200
ROUNDUP & ROUNDDOWN
5. Always Round Up (Packages)
=ROUNDUP(A2/12, 0)
13 items ÷ 12 per box = 2 boxes (not 1.08)
6. Always Round Down (Conservative)
=ROUNDDOWN(A2*0.05, 2)
Conservative 5% discount calculation
Round to Multiples
7. Round to Nearest 5
=MROUND(A2, 5)
27 → 25, 28 → 30 (nearest 5)
8. Round Up to Nearest 15 Minutes
=CEILING(A2, TIME(0,15,0))
Time billing: 2:07 PM → 2:15 PM
9. Round Down to Nearest 0.25
=FLOOR(A2, 0.25)
1.37 → 1.25 (price points)
Practical Applications
10. Tax Calculation
=ROUND(A2*0.08, 2)
$25.00 × 8% tax = $2.00 (not $2.000000)
11. Percentage Display
=ROUND(A2/B2*100, 1)&"%"
15/47 = 31.9% (not 31.91489%)
12. Grade Point Average
=ROUND(AVERAGE(A2:A10), 2)
GPA to 2 decimals: 3.67
🎯 Pro Tips
- • Round late: Do calculations first, round at display to avoid accumulating errors
- • Currency: Always round money to 2 decimals
- • Percentages: Round to 1-2 decimals for readability
- • Package quantities: Use ROUNDUP to ensure enough items
- • Price points: Use MROUND/FLOOR for psychological pricing (x.99, x.95)
- • Significant figures: For scientific data, round to appropriate precision
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between ROUND and number formatting?
ROUND changes the actual value. Formatting changes only display. Example: 3.14159 formatted as 2 decimals shows 3.14 but calculates as 3.14159. =ROUND(3.14159, 2) actually becomes 3.14 in calculations. Use ROUND when you need exact values, formatting for display only.
When should I use ROUNDUP vs ROUND?
ROUNDUP for conservative estimates (packages, materials, time). ROUND for standard precision (prices, totals, measurements). Example: 3.1 items needs 4 packages (ROUNDUP). $3.14159 price needs $3.14 (ROUND). ROUNDUP ensures you never underestimate.
How do I round to nearest 5 or 10?
Use MROUND: =MROUND(A1, 5) rounds to nearest 5. =MROUND(A1, 10) rounds to nearest 10. For always up: =CEILING(A1, 5). For always down: =FLOOR(A1, 5). MROUND is bidirectional (27→25, 28→30). CEILING/FLOOR are directional.
Why do my rounded numbers still show decimals?
Check cell formatting. =ROUND(A1, 0) returns whole number, but cell may show decimals if formatted as 'Number' with 2 decimal places. Change format to 'General' or 'Number' with 0 decimals. ROUND changes value, formatting controls display.
Can ROUND handle negative numbers?
Yes. ROUND(-2.5, 0) = -3 (away from zero). ROUNDUP(-2.1, 0) = -3 (away from zero = more negative). ROUNDDOWN(-2.9, 0) = -2 (toward zero = less negative). Negative num_digits work too: =ROUND(-1234, -2) = -1200.
Should I round before or after calculations?
Generally round AFTER final calculation to avoid accumulating errors. Bad: =ROUND(A1,2)+ROUND(B1,2)+ROUND(C1,2). Good: =ROUND(A1+B1+C1, 2). Exception: Money - round each transaction to avoid penny discrepancies. Balance accuracy vs business rules.