The Excel CEILING.MATH function rounds a number up to the nearest integer or multiple, with an optional mode argument that controls how negative numbers behave.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
number | Required | The value you want to round up. |
significance | Optional | The multiple to round to. Defaults to 1 (the next integer). |
mode | Optional | Controls direction for negative numbers. Omitted/0 rounds toward zero; any non-zero value rounds away from zero. |
How to use it
CEILING.MATH improves on classic CEILING: significance is optional (defaults to 1) and signs never cause an error.
For positive numbers it always rounds up. For negatives the mode flag decides: by default they round toward zero, but a non-zero mode rounds them away from zero.
Default mode: with mode omitted, =CEILING.MATH(-5.5) gives -5 (toward zero). Add a non-zero mode — =CEILING.MATH(-5.5, 1, 1) — to get -6 instead.
Try it: interactive demo
Pick a CEILING.MATH example to see the formula and its result.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
What does the mode argument do?
How is CEILING.MATH different from CEILING?
significance optional (defaults to 1), never errors on mixed signs, and adds a mode argument for negative numbers.Why does CEILING.MATH(-5.5) give -5 instead of -6?
=CEILING.MATH(-5.5, 1, 1) = -6.Is CEILING.MATH the same as ISO.CEILING?
mode argument that ISO.CEILING lacks.Master functions like this in one day
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