Spreadsheet Practice

How to multiply all the numbers in a column in Excel (PRODUCT)

Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)

=PRODUCT(B2:B6)

Use PRODUCT: =PRODUCT(B2:B6) multiplies every number in the range together.

Result on the example
92.2% in E1
Works in
Every current version
Google Sheets
Same formula

See it work

The formula is already in E1. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

The system works only if every component works, so the chances multiply: 99.5% × 98% × 97% × 99% × 98.5% ≈ 92.2%. PRODUCT does that for a whole range, like SUM does for addition.

=PRODUCT(B2:B6)

Result0.9223427021

  1. B2:B65 rows × 1 col: 99.5%, 98.0%, 97.0%, 99.0%, …

    A range: 5 cells in one column.

  2. PRODUCT(B2:B6)0.9223427021

    PRODUCT: Multiplies all the numbers.

    • number1B2:B65 rows × 1 col: 99.5%, 98.0%, 97.0%, 99.0%, …

In Google Sheets

The same formula works in Google Sheets: =PRODUCT(B2:B6). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns 92.2%.

Other ways to do it

Each one was run on the same example sheet.

FormulaResultWhen to use it
=B2*B3*B4*B5*B692.2%The same multiplication written out; fine for a few cells.

Common mistakes

  • PRODUCT skips blank cells instead of treating them as 0, so a missing value quietly drops out. The * version returns 0 for a blank.
  • Text in the range is skipped too. Check that every value is a number.

Try it yourself

Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.

Multiply all the numbers in a column in Excel (PRODUCT)

In E1, calculate the reliability of the whole system: all five component reliabilities multiplied together.

Questions

How do I multiply two columns row by row and add the results?

Use =SUMPRODUCT(B2:B6,C2:C6).

How do I combine growth rates?

Multiply the growth factors and subtract 1: =PRODUCT(1+B2:B6)-1 in Excel 365.

Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.