What is FACT Function in Excel?
The FACT function is one of the math functions of Excel.
It Returns the factorial of a number, equal to 1*2*3*…* Number.
We can find this function in Math & trig category of insert function Tab.
How to use FACT function in excel
- Click on an empty cell (like F5 )
2. Click on fx icon (or press shift+F3)
3. In the insert function tab you will see all functions
4. Select math and trig category
5. Select FACT function
6. Then select ok
7. In the function arguments Tab you will see FACT function
8. Number is the nonnegative number you want the factorial of
9. You will see results in the formula result section
Examples of FACT function in Excel
- To find the factorial of a number: =FACT(5) Result: 120 (which is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1)
- To find the factorial of a negative number: =FACT(-5) Result: #NUM! (since factorials are only defined for non-negative integers)
- To find the factorial of a cell reference: =FACT(A1) (where A1 contains the value 6) Result: 720 (which is 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1)
- To find the factorial of an expression: =FACT(2+3) Result: 120 (which is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1)
- To find the factorial of a decimal number: =FACT(4.5) Result: #NUM! (since factorials are only defined for integers)
- To use the factorial function in a larger formula: =(FACT(7)+5)*3 Result: 150
- To use the factorial function with other functions: =SUM(FACT(3), POWER(2,3)) Result: 11 (which is 6 + 8)
- To find the factorial of 0: =FACT(0) Result: 1 (since 0! = 1)
- To find the factorial of a very large number: =FACT(15) Result: 1307674368000
- To find the factorial of a number using a named range: =FACT(MyNumber) (where MyNumber is a named range that contains the value 4) Result: 24 (which is 4 x 3 x 2 x 1)
Example 1:
How to use FACT function in excel
You can see examples of FACT function below:
fact(5) ----->>>>answer is 120
fact(4) ----->>>>answer is 24
fact(3) ----->>>>answer is 6
fact(2) ----->>>>answer is 2
fact(1) ----->>>>answer is 1Excel’s FACT function: the go-to tool for calculating factorials
Excel’s FACT function is a powerful tool for calculating factorials. It makes it easy to find the product of all positive integers up to a given number. The syntax for the FACT function is simple: =FACT(number), where “number” is the integer you want to find the factorial of.
For example, to find the factorial of 5 using Excel’s FACT function, you would enter =FACT(5) into a cell, which would return the result of 120 (which is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1).
Experts explain how Excel’s FACT function calculates factorials
Excel’s FACT function calculates factorials by multiplying the input value by all positive integers less than it, until it reaches 1. This process continues until all the positive integers have been multiplied together to give the factorial of the original number.
For example, to calculate the factorial of 6 using Excel’s FACT function, the function would first multiply 6 by 5, then by 4, then by 3, then by 2, and finally by 1, which would give the result of 720.
Real-world examples of using Excel’s FACT function in various industries
The FACT function in Excel can be useful in many different industries and applications. For example:
- In finance, the FACT function can be used to calculate the number of possible order permutations.
- In manufacturing, the FACT function can be used to calculate the number of possible combinations of parts or components.
- In statistics, the FACT function can be used to calculate the number of possible ways to arrange a set of objects.
- In computer programming, the FACT function can be used to solve certain mathematical problems.
What is a factorial and how does it relate to Excel’s FACT function?
A factorial is the product of all positive integers up to a given number. For example, the factorial of 5 (written as “5!”) is equal to 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, or 120.
The Excel FACT function is used to find the factorial of a given number. It takes one argument (the input value) and returns the result of multiplying all positive integers less than or equal to that value, until it reaches 1.
Mastering the syntax of Excel’s FACT function: a step-by-step guide
To use the FACT function in Excel, follow these steps:
- Select the cell where you want the result to appear.
- Type “=” to begin the formula.
- Type “FACT” followed by an open parenthesis “(“.
- Type the integer you want to find the factorial of.
- Close the parenthesis “)”.
- Press “Enter” to calculate the factorial.
For example, to find the factorial of 7 using Excel’s FACT function, you would enter =FACT(7) into a cell, which would return the value of 5040.
Using negative numbers with Excel’s FACT function: dos and don’ts
The FACT function in Excel is only defined for non-negative integers. Therefore, attempting to use the function with a negative number will result in the #NUM! error. For example, =FACT(-5) would return the #NUM! error.
Decimal dilemmas: when to use and avoid the FACT function in Excel
The FACT function in Excel is only defined for integer values. Therefore, attempting to use the function with a decimal value will result in the #NUM! error. However, if you have a decimal input that represents an integer (such as 4.0), you can still use the FACT function.
For example, =FACT(4.0) would return the value of 24, which is the factorial of 4.
Non-integer inputs and Excel’s FACT function: what happens next?
Excel’s FACT function is designed to work only with non-negative integers. If you input a non-integer value, Excel will round the number down to the nearest integer and then calculate the factorial based on that value.
For example, =FACT(4.9) would return the value of 24, which is the factorial of 4.
How large can the input values be for Excel’s FACT function?
The largest input value you can use with Excel’s FACT function is 170. Any larger than that, and the function will return the #NUM! error due to the limitations of Excel’s precision.
For example, =FACT(171) would return the #NUM! error.
How small can the input values be for Excel’s FACT function?
The smallest input value you can use with Excel’s FACT function is 0. The factorial of 0 is defined as 1, so =FACT(0) would return the value of 1.
For negative input values, as mentioned earlier, Excel’s FACT function will return the #NUM! error.
Combining Excel’s FACT function with other formulas for more advanced calculations
Excel’s FACT function can be combined with other formulas to perform more advanced calculations. For example, you can use the SUM function to add up factorials of different numbers.
For instance, =SUM(FACT(3), FACT(4), FACT(5)) would return the value of 150, which is the sum of the factorials of 3, 4, and 5.
Excel’s FACT function vs. PRODUCT function: what’s the difference?
The PRODUCT function in Excel multiplies a range of cells together, while the FACT function multiplies all positive integers up to a given number. In other words, the PRODUCT function is used to find the product of a range of values, while the FACT function is used to find the factorial of a single input value.
Excel’s FACT function vs. PERMUT function: which one should you use?
The PERMUT function in Excel is used to calculate the number of permutations that can be made from a set of objects. The FACT function, on the other hand, calculates the factorial of a given number. While they may seem similar, the two functions have different uses.
For example, if you want to find out how many permutations can be made from a set of three objects, you would use =PERMUT(3,3) which would return the result of 6. To find the factorial of 3, you would use =FACT(3), which would return the value of 6 as well.
Using cell references with Excel’s FACT function: best practices
You can use cell references with Excel’s FACT function by entering the cell reference instead of a static value. This can be useful when you need to calculate factorials based on data within your spreadsheet.
For example, if you have a value of 6 in cell A1, you can find the factorial of that number by entering =FACT(A1) into another cell. This would return the value of 720, which is the factorial of 6.
Simplifying Excel formulas with named ranges and the FACT function
Named ranges can be used to simplify complex Excel formulas, including those that use the FACT function. By assigning a name to a range of cells, you can refer to that range by its name within your formula instead of using cell references.
For example, if you have a range of cells containing values for which you want to find the factorials, you can assign a name to that range (such as “MyRange”) and then use =FACT(MyRange) in another cell to find the product of the integers in that range.
Error handling strategies when using Excel’s FACT function
When using Excel’s FACT function, it’s important to handle errors that may arise. One way to do this is to use the IFERROR function, which allows you to specify what should be displayed in the cell if an error occurs.
For example, =IFERROR(FACT(-5), “Invalid input”) would return “Invalid input” instead of the #NUM! error that would result from trying to find the factorial of a negative number.
The limit of Excel’s FACT function: what happens if you exceed 170?
Excel’s FACT function has a limit of 170 due to the limitations of Excel’s precision. If you try to calculate the factorial of a number greater than 170, the function will return the #NUM! error.
For example, =FACT(171) would return the #NUM! error because it exceeds the maximum value that can be calculated by Excel’s precision.
Finding the inverse of Excel’s FACT function: tips and tricks
To find the inverse of Excel’s FACT function (i.e., to find the number whose factorial matches a given value), you can use logarithms. Specifically, you can use the natural logarithm function (LN) and the factorial (FACT) function together.
For example, to find the number whose factorial is 24, you would use the formula: =EXP(LN(24/FACT(4))) which would return the value of 4.
Rounding the result of Excel’s FACT function to a specific number of decimal places
If you want to round the result of Excel’s FACT function to a specific number of decimal places, you can use the ROUND function. The ROUND function takes two arguments: the number to be rounded and the number of decimal places to round to.
For example, to round the factorial of 5 (which is 120) to two decimal places, you would use the formula: =ROUND(FACT(5),2) which would return the value of 120.00.
- COMBIN function
- PERMUT function
- FACTDOUBLE function
- GCD function
