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PRODUCT

Multiplies all numbers in a range or list of arguments.

Quick Example​

=PRODUCT(A1:A5)

Multiplies all values from cell A1 through A5.

Syntax​

=PRODUCT(number1, [number2], ...)

Arguments​

  • number1 (required): The first number, cell reference, or range to multiply
  • number2, ... (optional): Additional numbers, cell references, or ranges to multiply (up to 255 arguments)

Examples​

Multiply Range​

=PRODUCT(A1:A3)

If A1:A3 contains [2, 3, 4], returns 24 (2 × 3 × 4)

Multiply Direct Numbers​

=PRODUCT(5, 10, 2)

Returns 100 (5 × 10 × 2)

Multiple Ranges​

=PRODUCT(A1:A3, C1:C2)

Multiplies all values from both ranges together

Calculate Area​

=PRODUCT(Length, Width)

Multiply length by width to get area

Calculate Volume​

=PRODUCT(Length, Width, Height)

Multiply three dimensions to get volume

Compound Interest​

=Principal * PRODUCT(1+Rate, 1+Rate, 1+Rate)

Calculate compound growth (better to use POWER for this)

How It Works​

Multiplication Process​

In ranges:

  • Numbers are multiplied together
  • Text values are ignored
  • Empty cells are ignored
  • Logical values (TRUE/FALSE) are ignored

Direct arguments:

  • Numbers are multiplied
  • Text that looks like a number is converted
  • TRUE converts to 1, FALSE to 0
  • Empty arguments are treated as 1 (identity element)

No Values Found​

If no numeric values are found in any arguments, PRODUCT returns 0:

=PRODUCT(A1:A5)

Where all cells contain text → Returns 0

Zero Handling​

If any value is 0, the result is 0:

=PRODUCT(5, 10, 0, 20)

Returns 0 (any zero makes the product zero)

Common Use Cases​

Calculate Total Price​

=PRODUCT(Quantity, Unit_Price)

Multiply quantity by price

Area Calculations​

=PRODUCT(A1, B1)

Calculate area of rectangle (length × width)

Volume Calculations​

=PRODUCT(A1:A3)

Where A1=length, A2=width, A3=height

Compound Growth​

=Initial_Value * PRODUCT(Growth_Rates)

Apply multiple growth rates sequentially

Unit Conversions​

=PRODUCT(A1, 2.54)

Convert inches to centimeters

Probability of Independent Events​

=PRODUCT(B2:B5)

Multiply probabilities of independent events occurring

Error Handling​

Error Propagation​

If any argument contains an error value, PRODUCT returns that error:

=PRODUCT(10, #DIV/0!, 30)

Returns #DIV/0!

Common Errors​

ErrorCauseSolution
#VALUE!Invalid argument typeCheck that arguments are numbers or valid references
#REF!Invalid cell referenceVerify cell references exist
#NAME?Function name misspelledCheck spelling: =PRODUCT not =MULTIPLY

Technical Details​

Implementation Notes​

  • Supports up to 255 arguments
  • Starts with product = 1 (identity element)
  • If no values found, returns 0
  • Efficiently processes large ranges
  • Text and logical values in ranges are ignored

Identity Element​

Multiplication starts with 1:

=PRODUCT(5)  // Returns 5 (1 × 5)
=PRODUCT(5, 10)  // Returns 50 (1 × 5 × 10)

Type Coercion​

When arguments are provided directly:

=PRODUCT(5, "10", TRUE)

Returns 50 (5 × 10 × 1, where "10" → 10 and TRUE → 1)

When values are in a range:

=PRODUCT(A1:A3)

Where A1=5, A2="10", A3=TRUE Returns 5 (only the number is multiplied; text and logical are ignored)

Comparison: PRODUCT vs Manual Multiplication​

Using PRODUCT​

=PRODUCT(A1:A5)

Simple and clean

Manual Multiplication​

=A1*A2*A3*A4*A5

Cumbersome for many cells

PRODUCT is Better For​

  • Multiple cells
  • Dynamic ranges
  • Variable number of factors

Advanced Examples​

Factorial (Limited)​

=PRODUCT(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Returns 120 (5 factorial)

Geometric Mean Component​

=PRODUCT(A1:A10)^(1/COUNT(A1:A10))

Calculate geometric mean

Scaling Factor​

=Value * PRODUCT(Scale_Factors)

Apply multiple scaling factors

Probability Chain​

=PRODUCT(Success_Rates) * 100

Calculate overall success percentage

  • SUM - Add all numbers
  • SQRT - Square root
  • COUNT - Count numbers