MIN
Returns the smallest number in a set of values.
Quick Example
=MIN(A1:A10)
Returns the minimum value from cells A1 through A10.
Syntax
=MIN(value1, [value2], ...)
Arguments
- value1 (required): The first number, cell reference, or range
- value2, ... (optional): Additional numbers, cell references, or ranges (up to 255 arguments)
Examples
Find Minimum in Range
=MIN(A1:A5)
If A1:A5 contains [45, 12, 78, 23, 56], returns 12
Multiple Ranges
=MIN(A1:A5, C1:C5)
Returns the minimum value across both ranges
Mix of Values and Ranges
=MIN(A1:A5, 5, 100)
Finds the minimum among the range values and the direct values 5 and 100
Find Lowest Price
=MIN(B2:B20)
Returns the lowest price from a list
Compare Two Values
=MIN(A1, B1)
Returns whichever value is smaller
With Negative Numbers
=MIN(-5, 10, -20, 30)
Returns -20 (the smallest value)
How It Works
Number Processing
In ranges:
- Numbers are included in the comparison
- Text values are ignored
- Empty cells are ignored
- Logical values (TRUE/FALSE) are ignored
Direct arguments:
- Numbers are compared directly
- Text that can be coerced to numbers is converted
- TRUE converts to 1, FALSE to 0
- Empty arguments are treated as 0
No Values Found
If no numeric values are found in any of the arguments, MIN returns 0:
=MIN(A1:A5)
Where all cells contain text → Returns 0
Common Use Cases
Find Lowest Score
=MIN(B2:B50)
Find the lowest test score
Calculate Price Floor
=MIN(A1:A10)
Find the minimum acceptable price
Budget Analysis
=MIN(Monthly_Expenses)
Find the lowest monthly expense
Quality Control
=MIN(Temperature_Readings)
Find the lowest temperature reading
Time Tracking
=MIN(C2:C100)
Find the shortest completion time
Error Handling
Error Propagation
If any argument contains an error value, MIN returns that error:
=MIN(10, #DIV/0!, 30)
Returns #DIV/0!
Common Errors
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| #VALUE! | Invalid argument | Check that arguments are valid |
| #REF! | Invalid cell reference | Verify cell references exist |
| #NAME? | Function name misspelled | Check spelling: =MIN not =MINIMUM |
Empty Range Behavior
=MIN(A1:A10)
If range contains no numbers → Returns 0 (not an error)
Technical Details
Implementation Notes
- Supports up to 255 arguments
- Returns 0 if no numeric values are found
- Uses standard numeric comparison
- Efficiently processes large ranges
- Handles negative numbers correctly
Type Coercion
When arguments are provided directly:
=MIN(5, "10", TRUE)
Returns 1 (TRUE is converted to 1, "10" is converted to 10)
When values are in a range:
=MIN(A1:A3)
Where A1=5, A2="10", A3=TRUE
Returns 5 (only the number is considered; text and logical are ignored)
Zero vs Empty
=MIN(A1:A5)
- If all cells are empty: returns
0 - If one cell = 0 and others are empty: returns
0 - The function cannot distinguish between "no values" and "minimum is 0"
Comparison: MIN vs MAX
MIN - Smallest Value
=MIN(10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
Returns 10
MAX - Largest Value
=MAX(10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
Returns 50