Basic and essential Excel functions: Sum, Average, Maximum, Minimum and more

07/14/26 •0•0

Discover how to use fundamental Excel functions, such as Sum, Average, Maximum and Minimum, to optimize your spreadsheets and increase your productivity. Learn useful tips and practical examples.

Written byLeon

Translated byEditorial

Revised byEditorial

Excel is one of the most powerful tools for data analysis, and mastering its basic functions is essential for any professional. In this article, we will explore the simplest and most essential Excel functions, such as SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, MODE, MEDIAN, and COUNTA. We will explain each one with practical examples and tables to make understanding easier.

1. The SUM function

The SUM function is one of the most commonly used in Excel. It allows you to add values from a range of cells quickly and efficiently.

Syntax:

=SUM(range)

Suppose you have the following values in cells A1 through A5:

A
10
20
30
40
50

The formula =SUM(A2:A6) will return 150.

2. The AVERAGE function

The AVERAGE function calculates the arithmetic mean of a set of values. It is very useful for simple statistical analyses.

Syntax:

=AVERAGE(range)

Example:

Using the same values from the previous table (A1 through A5), the formula =AVERAGE(A2:A6) will return 30.

3. The MAX function

The MAX function returns the largest value in a range.

Syntax:

=MAX(range)

A
15
25
10
35
20

The formula =MAX(A2:A6) will return 35.

3. The LARGE function

The LARGE function returns the kth largest value in a range.

Syntax:

=LARGE(range; k)

A
15
25
10
35
20

The formula =LARGE(A2:A6; 2) will return the second largest value: 25.

4. The MIN function

The MIN function returns the smallest value in a range.

Syntax:

=MIN(range)

Example:

Using the same table above, the formula =MIN(A2:A6) will return 10.

5. The MODE function

The MODE function returns the value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Syntax:

=MODE(range)

Consider the following values:

A
10
20
20
30
40

The formula =MODE(A2:A6) will return 20.

6. The MEDIAN function

The MEDIAN function returns the central value of a set of numbers, also called the median. It is useful for finding the value that divides the set into two equal parts.

Syntax:

=MEDIAN(range)

A
10
20
30
40
50

The formula =MEDIAN(A2:A6) will return 30.

7. The COUNTA function

The COUNTA function counts the number of cells in a range that contain numeric values or text. It is useful for knowing how many filled-in items there are in a list.

Syntax:

=COUNTA(range)

Consider the following table:

A
10
20

"Text"
30

The formula =COUNTA(A2:A6) will return 3, because there are four filled-in cells.

Summary table of functions

Here is a summary table with the functions explained and their examples:

Function	Description	Usage Example	Result
SUM	Adds values in a range	=SUM(A1:A5)	150
AVERAGE	Calculates the average of values	=AVERAGE(A1:A5)	30
MAX	Returns the largest value	=MAX(A1:A5)	35
MIN	Returns the smallest value	=MIN(A1:A5)	10
MODE	Returns the most frequent value	=MODE(A1:A5)	20
MEDIAN	Returns the central value	=MEDIAN(A1:A5)	30
COUNTA	Counts cells with values	=COUNTA(A1:A6)	4

Practical exercises

1. Calculate the total sales of a store that has the following values in cells A1 through A5: 100, 200, 150, 300, 250.

2. Calculate the average of a student's grades, with the following grades in cells B1 through B4: 7, 8, 6, 9.

3. Find the largest value among the numbers in cells C1 through C5: 15, 25, 10, 35, 20.

4. Find the smallest value among the numbers in cells D1 through D5: 50, 40, 60, 30, 70.

5. Identify the most frequent value in cells E1 through E6: 10, 20, 20, 30, 40, 20.

6. Calculate the median of the values in cells F1 through F5: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.

7. Count how many values exist in cells G1 through G6, where the values are: 10, 20, "", "Text", 30, "".

8. Calculate the total and average daily sales of a store that has the following values in cells H1 through H7: 200, 300, 150, 400, 250, 500, 350.

9. Find the highest and lowest temperature recorded in a week, with the values in cells I1 through I7: 28, 30, 25, 32, 27, 29, 31.

10. Identify the mode and median of the ages of a group of people, with the values in cells J1 through J6: 25, 30, 30, 35, 40, 30.

11. Count how many numeric values there are and add them up, considering the values in cells K1 through K5: 100, "", 200, 300, "".

12. Challenge! State the smallest number in the following table: cells F1 through F5: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. But state the smallest number without using the MIN or SMALL function.