Publish date: 2023-12-15
- You can subtract in Excel by placing a minus sign in front of any numbers you want to deduct.
- You can add and subtract a bunch of numbers at once using the equal sign or SUM function.
- You can add and subtract a set of numbers by specifying the range, such as =SUM(A1:A10).
Subtraction in Excel is like subtraction in real life — it's straightforward. You simply need to keep in mind that unlike other common arithmetic functions like addition, multiplication, and division, there's no subtraction function in Excel. That means you can't issue some sort of "subtract" command. Instead, to subtract, you sum with negative numbers. There are a few common ways to do this.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Log in.How to subtract numbers in a single cell in Excel
Standard subtraction in Excel is relatively simple. Click in an empty cell, type an equal sign and then enter the numbers you want to subtract. You can enter two or more numbers and add and subtract at the same time. According to the usual order of operations, it doesn't matter what order you list the numbers in, as long as you are only adding and subtracting. For example, type:
=100+50-10-20
Then press Enter. You will get a result of 120.
That's the same as if you did the same steps and entered:
=50-10+100-20
How to subtract in Excel using cell references
You don't have to subtract numbers in a single cell; you can also set up a formula that will subtract the values stored in multiple cells. For example, suppose you wanted to subtract the value of A2 from the value of A1.
Enter some values in A1 and A2. For example, 100 and 25. Then click A3 and press =.
Click cell A1 and the label A1 automatically appears in A3. Press the minus sign (-) and then click the cell A2. Press Enter.
You should now see the result of 75 appear in A3.
How to subtract a range of numbers in Excel
You can use the previous technique to subtract cells, but if you have several cells you want to subtract, there is an easier method — you can subtract a range of cells all at once.
Suppose you have a set of numbers stored in cells A1 through A10, and you want to subtract them. Using the SUM function, we can calculate the result easily. In fact, this function can combine addition and subtraction into a single operation — you simply need to put a minus sign in the cell of every number you want to subtract (this means the number will look like a negative number).
1. Enter the numbers you want to use in each cell from A1 through A10. Remember that any numbers you want to subtract should have a minus sign (-).
2. Click the cell where you want the final result to appear (such as A11). Type =SUM(. That is an equal sign, the word SUM, and an open parenthesis.
3. Click cell A1. While holding the mouse button, drag the mouse from A1 all the way to A10. Release the mouse button.
4. Press Enter. Excel will close the parenthesis for you automatically and perform the calculation.
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