In statistics, the maximum value in a dataset is the value of the greatest observation of a sample. You can use the MAX function to find the largest value from a set of data values.
Example: You are working with a dataset with the first name in column A, the last name in column B, and the salary in column C.
Formula 1: What is the maximum salary in column C?
=MAX(C2:C6)
The maximum income is $100,835.
Note: When cells contain error values or text that cannot be translated into numbers, the MAX function will return errors.
Formula 2: What is the maximum salary in column C and $111,211?
=MAX(C2:C6, 111211)
The maximum income is $111,211.
Notes: The MAX Function
Formula:
= MAX(number1, [number2], …)
Explanations:
- Number 1 is required;
- [number2], …: numbers other than the first are optional.
Cautions:
The MAX function will count numbers, arrays, or references that contain numbers, while empty cells or cells with text values will be ignored.