Excel SIGN function

What is SIGN function in Excel?

The SIGN function is one of the math functions of Excel.

It Returns the sign of a number, 1 if the number is positive, zero if the number is zero, and -1 if the number is negative.

We can find this function in Math & trig category of insert function Tab.

How to use SIGN function in excel

1. Click on an empty cell (like F5 )

2. Click on the 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 SIGN function

6. Then select ok

7. In the function arguments Tab you will see SIGN function

8. Number section is any real number

9. You will see results in the formula result section

Examples of SIGN function in Excel

1. To determine whether a number is positive, negative, or zero: =SIGN(A1)
2. To return 1 if a value meets a certain condition and -1 otherwise: =SIGN(IF(A1>5,1,-1))
3. To calculate the absolute value of a number: =SIGN(A1)*A1
4. To count the number of positive, negative, or zero values in a range: =SUMPRODUCT(SIGN($A$1:$A$10)=1) for positive numbers; =SUMPRODUCT(SIGN($A$1:$A$10)=-1) for negative numbers; =SUMPRODUCT(SIGN($A$1:$A$10)=0) for zeros.
5. To convert Boolean (TRUE/FALSE) values to 1/-1: =SIGN(--(A1<>0))
6. To display a specific message based on whether a number is positive, negative, or zero: =IF(SIGN(A1)=1,"Positive",IF(SIGN(A1)=-1,"Negative","Zero"))
7. To calculate the average of positive or negative numbers in a range: =AVERAGEIF($A$1:$A$10,">0") for positive numbers; =AVERAGEIF($A$1:$A$10,"<0") for negative numbers.
8. To remove the negative sign from a negative number: =ABS(A1)*SIGN(A1)
9. To calculate the standard deviation of positive or negative numbers in a range: =STDEV.P(IF($A$1:$A$10>0,$A$1:$A$10)) for positive numbers; =STDEV.P(IF($A$1:$A$10<0,$A$1:$A$10)) for negative numbers.
10. To return a value of -1, 0, or 1 based on whether a number is less than, equal to, or greater than zero: =IF(A1<0,-1,IF(A1=0,0,1))

Example 1:

How to use SIGN function in excel

You can see examples of SIGN function below:

sign(1) ----->>>>answer is  1

sign(-1) ----->>>>answer is  -1

sign(0) ----->>>>answer is  0

sign(-2) ----->>>>answer is  -1

sign(2) ----->>>>answer is  1

Excel’s SIGN Function: What It Is and How It Works

Excel’s SIGN function is a mathematical function that returns the sign of a number. The function evaluates whether a given number is positive, negative, or zero, and returns a corresponding value of 1, -1, or 0.

Understanding the Mechanics of Excel’s SIGN Function

The SIGN function works by evaluating the sign of a specified number and then returning a corresponding value. If the number is positive, the function returns 1. If the number is negative, the function returns -1. If the number is zero, the function returns 0.

For example, if you wanted to determine the sign of the number -5 in Excel, you could use the SIGN function as follows:

=SIGN(-5)

This would return a value of -1, indicating that the number is negative.

Exploring the Arguments Used by Excel’s SIGN Function

The SIGN function takes only one argument, which is the numerical value for which you want to determine the sign. This argument can be entered directly into the function, or it can be referenced from a cell containing a numeric value.

For example, if you had a list of numbers in cells A1 through A5, and you wanted to determine the sign of each number, you could use the following formula in cell B1:

=SIGN(A1)

You could then copy this formula down to cells B2 through B5 to determine the sign of each number in the list.

Syntax and Usage Examples of Excel’s SIGN Function

The syntax for the SIGN function is as follows:

=SIGN(number)

Where “number” is the numerical value for which you want to determine the sign.

Here are some usage examples of the SIGN function in Excel:

Example 1: Suppose we have a list of values in column A and want to find the sign of each value. We can use the following formula in cell B1:

=SIGN(A1)

We can then drag this formula down to the remaining cells in column B to get the sign of each value in column A.

Example 2: Suppose we have a budget with income and expenses, and we want to determine whether we have a surplus or a deficit. We can use the SIGN function to determine the sign of our net income (income minus expenses) as follows:

=SIGN(SUM(C2:C10))

Can Excel’s SIGN Function Handle Non-Numeric Data?

No, the SIGN function in Excel can only handle numerical data. If you try to use the function with non-numeric data, it will return a #VALUE! error.

For example, if you tried to use the formula =SIGN(“hello”) in Excel, the function would return an error.

Why Use Excel’s SIGN Function: Benefits and Applications

Excel’s SIGN function can be useful for various applications, such as separating numbers by their sign, calculating the absolute value of a number, determining whether a number is positive or negative, and comparing two values based on their sign.

For instance, if we have a list of sales figures in cells A1:A10, we could use the SIGN function to determine the direction of each sale (positive or negative), and then use conditional formatting to highlight the positive and negative values separately.

Positive, Negative, or Zero? Using Excel’s SIGN Function to Determine Number Sign

The primary use of Excel’s SIGN function is to determine the sign of a number, returning 1 if the value is positive, -1 if it is negative, and 0 if it is zero.

For example, if we have a value of 5 in cell A1, we could use the formula =SIGN(A1) to return 1, indicating that the number is positive. If we had a value of -3 in cell A1, the formula would return -1, indicating that the number is negative. If we had a value of 0 in cell A1, the formula would return 0, indicating that the number has no sign.

Separating Numbers in a Range by Sign with Excel’s SIGN Function

If you have a range of numbers in Excel, you can use the SIGN function to separate them by sign. You can do this by using the function in combination with other functions like IF and SUMIF.

For example, if you have a range of numbers in cells A1:A10, you could use the following formula to return the sum of all the positive values in the range:

=SUMIF(A1:A10,">0")

You could also use the following formula to return the sum of all the negative values in the range:

=SUMIF(A1:A10,"<0")

Similarly, you could use the following formula to count the number of positive values in the range:

=COUNTIF(A1:A10,">0")

And you could use the following formula to count the number of negative values in the range:

=COUNTIF(A1:A10,"<0")

Combining Excel’s SIGN Function with IF, SUMIF, and COUNTIF Functions

Excel’s SIGN function can be used in combination with other functions like IF, SUMIF, and COUNTIF to perform more complex calculations. For example, you could use the SIGN function with the IF function to return a specific value based on the sign of a number.

=IF(SIGN(A1)=1,"Positive",IF(SIGN(A1)=-1,"Negative","Zero"))

This formula would return “Positive” if the value in cell A1 is positive, “Negative” if it is negative, and “Zero” if it is zero.

Similarly, you could use the SIGN function with the SUMIF or COUNTIF function to sum or count only the positive or negative values in a range.

The SIGN Function and Absolute Value Calculation in Excel

While the SIGN function returns the sign of a number, you can use it in combination with other functions like ABS to calculate the absolute value of a number.

For example, if you have a negative value in cell A1 and you want to calculate its absolute value, you could use the following formula:

=ABS(A1)*SIGN(A1)

This formula multiplies the absolute value of the number by the sign of the original number, resulting in a positive value that represents the absolute value of the original number.

Rounding Numbers with Excel’s SIGN Function: Yes or No?

No, the SIGN function in Excel cannot be used to round numbers up or down. The function simply evaluates the sign of a number and returns a corresponding value of 1, -1, or 0.

If you want to round a number in Excel, you can use the ROUND function or one of its variants, such as ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN, CEILING, or FLOOR.

Excel’s SIGN Function for Comparing Two Numbers

Excel’s SIGN function can be used to compare two numbers based on their sign. For example, you could use the following formula to determine whether the value in cell A1 is greater than or less than the value in cell B1:

=SIGN(A1-B1)

If this formula returns a value of 1, it means that A1 is greater than B1. If it returns -1, A1 is less than B1. If it returns 0, the two values are equal.

You could then use this information in combination with the IF function to return a specific value based on the comparison.

For example:

=IF(SIGN(A1-B1)=1,"A1 is greater",IF(SIGN(A1-B1)=-1,"B1 is greater","The values are equal"))

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(Print the converted questions as subheadings in a bigger font size than the answers (using h2 tags). Answer each question completely. Use an example for every answer. Do not use HTML code, just indicate the subheading with h2 size.) Applying Conditional Formatting with Excel’s SIGN Function Deviation from Average Calculation with Excel’s SIGN Function Normalizing Data with Excel’s SIGN Function Using Excel’s SIGN Function in Charts and Graphs

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Applying Conditional Formatting with Excel’s SIGN Function

Excel’s SIGN function can be used with conditional formatting to apply different formats to cells based on their sign. For example, you could use the following steps to highlight all positive values in a range of cells:

1. Select the range of cells that you want to apply the formatting to.
2. Click on the “Conditional Formatting” button in the “Home” tab of the Excel ribbon.
3. Select “New Rule” from the drop-down menu.
4. In the “New Formatting Rule” dialog box, select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format.”
5. Enter the formula =SIGN(A1)=1 into the “Format values where this formula is true” field. (Replace “A1” with the top-left cell of your selected range.)
6. Select the formatting options that you want to apply to the cells. For example, you could choose to highlight the cells with a green background color.
7. Click “OK” to apply the formatting.

This would highlight all cells in the selected range that have a positive value.

Deviation from Average Calculation with Excel’s SIGN Function

Excel’s SIGN function can also be used in combination with other functions like AVERAGE and STDEV to calculate the deviation of a value from the average of a range of values.

For example, if you have a list of exam scores in cells A1 through A10, you could use the following formula to calculate the deviation of each score from the average:

=SIGN(A1-AVERAGE($A$1:$A$10))*STDEV($A$1:$A$10)

This formula subtracts the average of the range from each score, calculates the sign of the result using the SIGN function, and then multiplies the sign by the standard deviation of the range. The resulting value represents the deviation of each score from the average.

Normalizing Data with Excel’s SIGN Function

Excel’s SIGN function can be used to normalize data by converting it into a standardized form that is easier to compare and analyze.

For example, if you have a range of values in cells A1 through A10, you could use the following formula to normalize the data:

=AVERAGE($A$1:$A$10)+(STDEV($A$1:$A$10)*SIGN(A1-AVERAGE($A$1:$A$10)))

This formula subtracts the average of the range from each value, divides the result by the standard deviation of the range, and then adds the average back to the result. The resulting value represents the normalized value of each data point.

Using Excel’s SIGN Function in Charts and Graphs

Excel’s SIGN function can be used in charts and graphs to highlight certain data points or to display specific information based on the sign of a value.

For example, you could create a chart that displays only the positive values in a range by using the following steps:

1. Select the range of values that you want to display in the chart.
2. Create a new column next to the selected range.
3. In the first cell of the new column, enter the formula =IF(SIGN(A1)=1,A1,NA()) (Replace “A1” with the top-left cell of your selected range.)
4. Copy this formula down to the remaining cells in the column.
5. Create a chart based on the new column of data. This chart will display only the positive values in the original range.

Sorting Data by Sign with Excel’s SIGN Function

Excel’s SIGN function can be used to sort data by sign. To do this, you simply need to create a new column that contains the sign of each value, and then sort the data based on this column.

For example, if you had a list of values in cells A1 through A10, you could use the following formula to determine the sign of each value:

=SIGN(A1)

You could then copy this formula down to cells B1 through B10 to get the sign of each value.

Finally, you could sort the original data range (cells A1 through A10) based on the new sign column (cells B1 through B10). This would group all positive values together, followed by any zero values, and then all negative values together.

Working with Array Formulas and Excel’s SIGN Function

Excel’s SIGN function can also be used with array formulas to perform more complex calculations. For example, you could use the following formula to sum only the positive values in a range of cells:

=SUM(IF(SIGN(A1:A10)=1,A1:A10,0))

This formula creates an array that contains the sign of each value in the specified range, and then uses the IF function to return the positive values. The SUM function then adds up these positive values.

Remember to enter array formulas in Excel by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Enter instead of just Enter.

Using Excel’s SIGN Function with VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP

You can also use Excel’s SIGN function with VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP to look up values based on their sign. For example, suppose you have a table of values in cells A1 through C3, where the first column contains a list of prices, the second column contains their corresponding discounts (as percentages), and the third column contains the discounted prices. You can use the following formula to look up the discount for a given price:

=VLOOKUP(SIGN(A1),$A$1:$B$3,2,FALSE)

This formula looks up the sign of the specified price (cell A1), and then uses VLOOKUP to search for this value in the first column of the table ($A1:1:B$3). When a match is found, the formula returns the corresponding discount (from the second column of the table).

Limitations and Considerations when Using Excel’s SIGN Function

While Excel’s SIGN function can be a useful tool for performing calculations and manipulating data, there are some limitations and considerations to keep in mind.

First, the function can only handle numerical data. If you try to use it with non-numeric data, it will return an error.

Second, the function only evaluates the sign of a number, not its magnitude or other properties.

• IF function
• AND function