How to multiply decimal numbers in Excel

In the previous tutorial, we learned how to multiply in Microsoft Excel, but do you know that it is also capable of solving fraction problems. This tutorial will show how to multiply fractions.

1. Input the fractions as a regular formula in individual cells. Excel will automatically convert it to decimal format. For example =1/2 will yield 0.5 in a cell.2. Multiply the numbers using cell reference separated by * symbol. Again Excel will convert it into a decimal formal.3. Select the cells where you want to convert to fraction format, then format cells (can be accessed by either right-clicking or from the ribbon menu). A small window will pop out, then select 'Number' tab, choose 'Fraction' and press 'OK'.Watch the screen recording below for demonstration.

Many Excel spreadsheets track numbers such as sales figures and commissions. The cells are formatted for currency and multiple calculations are applied. As a result, these worksheets often have the appearance of having errors!

In this tutorial, we show a simple example of how this problem can so easily happen, and how to use the ROUND function to fix it.

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Decimals and Currency in Excel Spreadsheets

When a worksheet contain math formulas and decimals, it can appear to have errors. This is because the actual value of a cell that Excel stores may be different than the displayed value in the spreadsheet cell due to the how the cell was formatted.

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Excel users often limit the decimal portion of a number to make a spreadsheet more readable. For instance, 85.99 ÷ 12 = 7.16583333 ... and the 3s go on forever!

This often happens in financial sheets where cells containing formulas that multiply or divide are formatted to display two decimal places, but the actual stored values contain more decimal places. Here is a simple example:

Look at the worksheet in Figure 1. Two cells in Column A contain data. Formulas in cells B2 and B3 calculate 25% of the values in cells A2 and A3, respectively. Then the results of the two formulas are totaled in cell B4. All of the math is correct.

Now study Figure 2. The only difference between this worksheet and the one above is that the data cells have been formatted as Currency with two decimal places - the way most cells in financial spreadsheets are formatted.

Look at the total in cell B4. Does $3.21 + 4.36 = $7.58 ?   NO!  It looks like our worksheet contains an error.

And worksheets with more numbers and calculations can appear to be full of errors. This situation can be avoided by using the ROUND function as shown below.

Solving the Problem with the ROUND Function

When multiplying or diving currency, or any numbers with decimals where the cells are formatted to limit the number of decimal places, the solution is to have Excel store the rounded value of a formula's value instead of its actual value.

Simply place each formula inside a ROUND function, rounding to 2 decimal places as shown in the worksheet image. Earlier, our formula in B2 was =A2*.25 (or =A2*0.25 as Excel displays it). Now the formula in cell B2, as shown in the formula bar, is:  =ROUND(A2*0.25,2)

Note: When we entered the above function, we typed =round(a2*.25,2). Excel automatically capitalizes function letters and adds a zero to the left of the decimal point if the number is a decimal only.

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1. 11-28-2008, 12:32 AM #1

   Hello.. anyone who can help me, please. I want multiply the number that contains decimal, like this : 12.26, and here I want multiply 12 with 1000, and then 26 multiply with 50

   12.26

   ==> 12 x 1000 = 12000 ==> 26 x 50 = 1300 ------- so, the result is : 13300 ======

   Thank's b 4

   

   Last edited by antoni; 11-28-2008 at 09:45 PM.

2. 11-28-2008, 12:42 AM #2

   if you have 12.26 in A1, then: in B1: =INT(A1) , gives you the integer portion, 12 in this case and, in C1: =B1-A1 gives you the fractional portion, namely 0.46. So, to multiply the two portions, just say, B1: =INT(A1) * 1000,

   C1: =(A1-INT(A1))*50

3. 11-28-2008, 12:44 AM #3

   Hi there, Welcome to the forum. Though you've probably broken a forum rule with your poor thread title, here's one way to do the job (I'm sure there's probably a more elegant way) - just change the cell reference from A2 to suit:

   =ROUND(A2,0)*1000+VALUE(MID(A2,SEARCH(".",A2)+1,255))*50

   HTH

   Robert

4. 11-28-2008, 02:54 AM #4

   Welcome to the forum. Please read the Forum Rules about thread titles, and then edit yours to be descriptive of your problem.

   Thanks.

5. 11-28-2008, 03:00 AM #5

   

   Originally Posted by antoni

   

   Hello.. anyone who can help me, please. I want multiply the number that contains decimal, like this : 12.26, and here I want multiply 12 with 1000, and then 26 multiply with 50

   12.26

   ==> 12 x 1000 = 12000 ==> 26 x 50 = 1300 ------- so, the result is : 13300 ======

   Thank's b 4

   

   Assuming cell A1 contains 12.26
   In result cell, you type this formula:
   OR, it means:
   

   Last edited by tigertiger; 11-30-2008 at 01:58 AM.

6. 11-28-2008, 10:51 PM #6

   Ok, thank's for protonLeah and Trebor76 who had help me to resolve this job. I will try it. And I'm sorry for my poor thread title. Tq vr much..

7. 11-28-2008, 11:18 PM #7

   Try

   =INT(A1)*1000+MOD(A1,1)*5000

8. 11-28-2008, 11:47 PM #8

   Sorry, I have tried the formula from Trebor76, but The Result become #VALUE!. Why ?? and can u help me again Sir ??

   Thank's

   

9. 11-29-2008, 01:05 AM #9

   Thank's for Mr. daddylonglegs

   

   
   ur formula (function) is really good function. And I have try, it's get success results. Thank's vr much..