How to Use ROUND Functions in Google Sheets

ROUND functions in Google Sheets can round values to the left or right of the decimal point. Here's how to use them.

Rounding off numbers with decimal points makes the sheet more professional and easier to read. Google Sheets allows you to quickly round off numbers using the ROUND function and its other forms. These include ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN functions that will enable you to round numbers either always up or down, respectively.

Some of these functions work based on the rules of mathematics, while others don't follow them. We'll apply the ROUND function to a dataset to demonstrate how it works and how each of its forms can be used.

1. How to Round Numbers Using the ROUND Function

Let's take a brief look at the ROUND function's syntax before moving on to its use:

=ROUND (Value, Places)

The ROUND function takes two arguments, Value and Places. The "Value" refers to the number you wish to round off, and the "Places" indicate how many decimal places you want to round the number to.

In the first argument, you may either use the number directly or use the cell references, which is always required for the ROUND function to work. The second one is optional, and if you don't specify anything in the "Places," it will be assumed as "0" by default, i.e., it rounds the number to zero decimal places.

For a better understanding, let's apply the ROUND function to a dataset with and without the optional argument.

Related: The Best Ways to Use Google Sheets Like a Pro

Applying the ROUND Function Without Using Optional Argument

Let's round off the numbers in the following dataset:

Use the following steps to apply the ROUND function without using the "Places" argument:

1. Go to cell B1.
2. Enter the following formula:

   =ROUND(A1)

3. Auto-fill the other entries below.

   

As shown above, the ROUND function has rounded off all numbers to zero decimal places. You can use the function (without the second argument) to make your sheets more consistent by displaying only whole numbers.

Applying the ROUND Function Using the Optional Argument

Let's round the numbers in the same dataset again, up to two decimal places. So we'll use "2" for the optional "Places" argument.

1. Go to cell B1 again.
2. Enter the following formula:

   =ROUND(A1,2)

3. Auto-fill the entries down below.

   

Above, you can see that all numbers have been rounded to two decimal places. This way, by changing the "Places" argument, you can control rounding off up to certain decimal places.

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The optional argument is also helpful if you need to round off numbers left to the decimal point, i.e., it'll round the number at the 10th place, 100th place, etc., and return the number as a multiple of 10. Let's apply it to a new dataset to make it easier to understand.

2. How to Use ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN Functions in Google Sheets

ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN functions allow you to round up or round down all values in a dataset. These functions are helpful when making a billing sheet, where you have to round all values up or down. This helps you to handle payments in whole numbers. However, they round up or down without considering the anatomy or rules of mathematics.

Let's apply each function to the below dataset to clarify the idea.

Applying the ROUNDUP Function to a Dataset

To apply ROUNDUP to the dataset shown above, follow the steps below:

1. Go to cell B1.
2. Enter the following formula:

   =ROUNDUP(A1)

3. Slide it to the bottom of the list.

   

It is evident that regardless of whether the number needs to be rounded up or down according to the rules of mathematics, the ROUNDUP has rounded all values up to zero decimal places.

It also allows you to round up the value to any number of places, both right and left of the decimal point. Below, you can see how the ROUNDUP function works when rounding off values to different decimal places:

Applying the ROUNDDOWN Function to a Dataset

Let's see how the ROUNDDOWN function rounds off the numbers in the same dataset.

1. Consider the same dataset.
2. Go to cell B1.
3. Enter the following formula:

   =ROUNDDOWN(B1)

4. Populate the other entries down below.

   

You can see that ROUNDDOWN has rounded off all values down without following the rules. In the same way as ROUNDUP, you can round down to any number of decimal places, both left and right of the decimal point. The range of values below explains this concept better:

3. Using the ROUND Function in Nested Formula

It is possible to use the ROUND function or any of its forms in Nested formulas. Now, let's apply it to a dataset where the result of the sum of two numbers in cells A1 and B1 needs to be rounded. The formula is as follows:

=ROUND (SUM (A1:B1))

The SUM function is treated as the first argument, the "Value" argument of the ROUND function, and "Places" is intentionally left empty. Hence, it will round off the sum of two numbers in cells A1 and B1 up to zero decimal places, as you can see below:

Similarly, you can use the ROUND function to wrap up multiple functions in the nested formula. Depending on your requirements, you can also set the "Places" argument to control how many decimal places you want to round off the final result to.

RELATED: How to Sum Numbers, Cells, or Matrices in Google Sheets

Are ROUND Functions Dynamic?

ROUND function and all its forms are dynamic. As soon as you change the values in the dataset, the changes automatically reflect in the sheet where you used the ROUND function or any other version of the function.

Round Off Your Dataset With Ease in Google Sheets

The ROUND function and its forms make it very simple to round off fractions into whole numbers. This not only makes the spreadsheet more professional, handling the data becomes much easier down the road.

You can also use add-ons to enhance the appearance of spreadsheets and make navigation through the spreadsheet data more intuitive. There are a few popular add-ons you should try.

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