Which Function Can Automatically Return the Smallest Value in a Cell?

a. =Lowest b. =Floor) c. =Min() d. =Smallest e.=Bottom

In Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, the function that automatically returns the smallest numerical value in a range is:

✅ Answer: =MIN(range)

The MIN() function scans a given range of cells and returns the lowest number found within that range.

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📌 How Does the MIN() Function Work?

The syntax for the function is:

Where:

• range is the group of cells you want to evaluate.

🔹 Example:
If you have numbers in A1 to A5:

A
45
12
78
23
9

Using the formula:

🔹 Result: 9 (since 9 is the smallest number in the range).

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🆚 Alternative Functions for Similar Tasks

Function	Purpose
SMALL(range, n)	Returns the nth smallest value (e.g., SMALL(A1:A5,2) gives the second smallest number).
MINIFS(range, criteria_range, criteria)	Returns the smallest number based on conditions (e.g., find the lowest value greater than 20).
FLOOR(number, significance)	Rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of a given value, but does not return the smallest number in a range.
VLOOKUP() / INDEX()	These functions retrieve specific values but are not ideal for finding the lowest value automatically.

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❓ FAQs on MIN() Function

Q: Can the MIN() function be used for text values?
A: No, MIN() works only with numerical values. If your data contains text, Excel will ignore it.

Q: What happens if there are blank cells?
A: Blank cells are ignored. However, if there are zeroes (0), MIN() will consider them since 0 is a number.

Q: How is MIN() different from FLOOR()?
A: MIN() finds the smallest value in a range, while FLOOR() rounds a number down to a specified multiple.

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🔍 Conclusion: Why MIN() is the Best Answer

✔ Automatically finds the lowest value in a range
✔ Updates dynamically when data changes
✔ Works in both Excel & Google Sheets
✔ More efficient than manual sorting

For most cases where you need the smallest value in a dataset, MIN() is the perfect function to use. ✅