1. SUM Function 

This function, as clear from the name, is used to add all the values provided as an argument and to display the result in the cell containing the function. 

Argument Type All Numbers Return Type Number 

Syntax = SUM(number1, number2, )

e.g. if you want to display the sum of values of cells Al, A2, A5, and A6 in cell A9, then you need to simply type = SUM(A1, A2, A5, A6) in cell A9 and press Enter. The sum will be displayed in cell A9. If you want to add a range of values, then provide that range in SUM function as an argument. 

e.g. if you want to add values from Al to A5, then write like =SUM(A1: A5). 

• If an argument is an array or reference, only numbers in that array or reference are counted. Empty cells, logical values or text in the array or reference are ignored. 
• If any arguments are error values or if any arguments are text that cannot be translated into numbers, Excel displays an error. 

2. AVERAGE Function 

This function calculates the average of all the values provided as an argument to this function. 

Argument Type All Numbers Return Type Number 

Syntax = AVERAGE(number1, number2, ) 

e.g. to calculate the average of the values of a range starting from Al to A5 in cell B9, you need to write = AVERAGE(A1: A5) in cell B9. 

3. COUNT Function 

This function counts the number of cells that contain numbers and numbers within the list of arguments. 

Argument Type Any Type Return Type Number 

Syntax = COUNT(value1, value2, ) 

e.g. if the values contained in cells Al, A2, A3, and A4 are 5, 7, TRUE and 10 respectively, then – COUNT(Al: A4) will return 3.

•  Arguments that are numbers, dates or text representation of numbers (e.g. a number enclosed in quotation marks, such as ‘1’) are counted. 
• Arguments that are error values or text that cannot be translated into numbers are not counted. 
• If an argument is an array or reference, only numbers in that array or reference are counted. Empty cells, logical values, text or error values in the array or reference are not counted. 

4. COUNTA Function

This function is similar to the COUNT( ) funtion. The only difference is that the COUNTA() function also calculates the text entries even when the entries contain an empty string of length 0(zero), i.e. “ ’ ”, but empty cells are ignored. The COUNTA() function counts the total number of values in the list of arguments. 

Argument Type Any Type Return Type Number 

Syntax = COUNTA (number 1, number 2, …) 

e.g. if the value contained in cells Al, A2, A3, and A4 are 5, 7, TRUE and 10 respectively then = COUNTA (Al: A4) will return 4. 

5. MAX Function 

This function is used to return maximum value from a list of arguments. 

Argument Type All Numbers Return Type Number 

Syntax = MAX(number1, number2, ….) 

e.g. if the values contained in cells Al, A2, A3 and A4 are 5, 7, 2 and 10 respectively then = MAX(A1:A4) will return 10. 

• MAX will consider only numeric and logical values to compute maximum. 
• If an argument is an array or reference, only numbers in that array or reference are used. Empty cells or text in the array or reference are ignored. 
•  If the arguments contain no numbers, MAX returns 0 (zero). 
• Arguments that are error values or text that cannot be translated into numbers cause errors.