How to Show Negative Numbers in Excel?
Do you ever find yourself using Excel to crunch numbers, only to find a negative number appear? It can be tricky to know how to show negative numbers in Excel, but it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take in order to easily show negative numbers in Excel. So if you want to learn how to handle negative numbers in Excel like a pro, keep reading!
Showing Negative Numbers in Excel
Display negative numbers in red and with parentheses using the following steps:
- Select the cells containing the numbers you want to display.
- Right-click the selected cells and select “Format Cells” from the menu.
- In the Format Cells window, select the “Number” tab.
- Choose the “Accounting” option from the list.
- Check the box labelled “Use parentheses for negative numbers”.
- Click the “Fill” tab and select “Red” as the cell color.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Related FAQ
Q1: What is a Negative Number?
Answer: A negative number is any real number that is less than zero. Negative numbers are usually written with a minus sign (“-”) in front of them. For example, -5 is a negative number, while 5 is a positive number. Negative numbers are used in many different fields, such as mathematics, finance, and economics.
Q2: How Do I Enter Negative Numbers in Excel?
Answer: Entering negative numbers in Excel is easy. All you need to do is add a minus sign (“-”) before the number. For example, to enter “-5” in Excel, you would type “-5” into the cell. You can also enter negative numbers directly into the formula bar by typing the minus sign before the number.
Q3: How Do I Format Negative Numbers in Excel?
Answer: To format negative numbers in Excel, go to the “Home” tab, select “Number” from the ribbon, then select “Currency” from the drop-down menu. This will format the negative numbers with parentheses instead of a minus sign. If you want to change the format of the negative numbers, you can select “More Number Formats” from the drop-down menu and then select a different format.
Q4: How Do I Show Negative Numbers in a Chart?
Answer: To show negative numbers in a chart, click on the chart to select it, then go to the “Design” tab, select “Data” from the ribbon, and select “Switch Row/Column” from the drop-down menu. This will switch the data series in the chart so that negative numbers will appear in the chart. If you want to make the chart easier to read, you can also add labels to the chart to identify the negative numbers.
Q5: How Do I Color Negative Numbers in Excel?
Answer: To color negative numbers in Excel, select the cells that contain the negative numbers, then go to the “Home” tab, select “Conditional Formatting” from the ribbon, then select “Highlight Cells Rules” from the drop-down menu. Select “Less than” from the list, then enter 0 in the box and choose a color for the negative numbers.
Q6: How Do I Sum Negative Numbers in Excel?
Answer: To sum negative numbers in Excel, select the cells that contain the negative numbers, then go to the “Formulas” tab, select “AutoSum” from the ribbon, then select “Sum” from the drop-down menu. This will add up all of the negative numbers in the selected range and display the sum in the cell you selected. You can also use other functions, such as the “SUMIF” function, to sum negative numbers in Excel.
Excel is a powerful tool for organizing and presenting data, and with the correct formatting, you can make negative numbers stand out in your spreadsheet. By using the absolute value symbol, color-coding cells, or by using the conditional formatting feature, you can easily make negative numbers in Excel stand out from the rest of your data. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your spreadsheets are easily readable and that you are quickly able to identify negative numbers.