How to Count Numbers Within a Range (“≥” and “<“) Using COUNTIF?
When counting numbers based on specific conditions in Excel, the COUNTIF function is commonly used. However, for specifying a range like “greater than or equal to (≥)” and “less than (<),” you need to use the COUNTIFS function. This article explains how to count numbers within a range using COUNTIFS.
Basic Usage of the COUNTIF Function
The COUNTIF function counts the number of cells in a specified range that meet a given condition. The basic syntax is as follows:
=COUNTIF(range, condition)
However, to count numbers within a range like “≥” and “<“, you need to use the COUNTIFS function.
Example: Using COUNTIFS to Count Numbers Within a Range
For instance, to count the numbers between “50 (inclusive)” and “100 (exclusive)” in the range A1:A5, use the following COUNTIFS formula:
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | |
| 2 | 55 | |
| 3 | 60 | |
| 4 | 80 | |
| 5 | 100 | =COUNTIFS(A1:A5, “>=50”, A1:A5, “<100”) |
In this example, the numbers (55, 60, 80) fall within the “50 to 100” range and are counted.
Formula
=COUNTIFS(A1:A5, “>=50”, A1:A5, “<100”)
Steps
- Enter numbers in the range A1 to A5.
- In the cell where you want to display the count (e.g., B5), enter the following formula: =COUNTIFS(A1:A5, “>=50”, A1:A5, “<100”)
- Press Enter, and the count of cells meeting the condition will be displayed.
Result
In this case, three numbers (55, 60, 80) meet the condition of “50 to 100,” so the result displayed in cell B5 is “3”.
Alternative Without COUNTIFS
You can also count numbers using the following formula:
=SUM((A1:A5>=50)*(A1:A5<100))
However, this method is less intuitive, so using COUNTIFS is recommended.
Application: Counting with Multiple Conditions Using COUNTIFS
The COUNTIFS function allows you to count numbers based on multiple conditions across different ranges, providing greater flexibility. For instance, you can count numbers within “10 to 50” and “80 to 100” ranges simultaneously.
Summary
While the COUNTIF function is designed for counting based on a single condition, the COUNTIFS function is ideal for counting numbers within ranges (“≥” and “<“). By specifying conditions like “>=” and “<“, you can easily count numbers within a specified range.