Excel Formula for Subtraction

Formula Description

To subtract the value in column K from the value in column M in Excel, you can use the following formula:

Formula:

=M2 - K2

Explanation of the Formula

• M2: This refers to the cell in column M from which we want to subtract a value. In Excel, M2 indicates the second row of column M.
• K2: This refers to the cell in column K that contains the value to be subtracted from M2.
• The formula computes the difference between the two values, resulting in a value that is the outcome of the subtraction.

Logical Steps:

1. Identify the specific cells: The notation M2 - K2 indicates that we are directly manipulating the contents of these two cells.
2. Perform the operation: Excel processes the subtraction operation and returns the result in the cell where the formula is entered.

Practical Example

Assuming you have the following values in an Excel sheet:

If you place the formula =M2 - K2 in cell N2, the result will be:

• N2: =M2 - K2 will yield 50 - 30 = 20
• N3: If you copy the formula down to N3, it will yield 60 - 20 = 40
• N4: Similarly, for N4, it will yield 80 - 10 = 70

Conclusion

This simple subtraction formula is useful for comparing quantities in financial data, inventory management, or any other tasks requiring numerical analysis. For more advanced applications of Excel formulas, consider exploring resources on the Enterprise DNA Platform that provide in-depth training on Excel functionalities.