# How to round down in Excel

Use ROUNDDOWN with the number of decimals to keep: `=ROUNDDOWN(B2,2)` turns 3.4987 into 3.49.

**Excel:** `=ROUNDDOWN(B2,2)` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Student | GPA (calculated) | GPA (reported) |
| Avery | 3.4987 |  |
| Blake | 2.9562 |  |
| Casey | 3.8 |  |
| Drew | 3.1249 |  |
| Emery | 3.9999 |  |

Formula in C2, filled to C6: `=ROUNDDOWN(B2,2)`

Result: 3.49; 2.95; 3.80; 3.12; 3.99

## How it works

ROUNDDOWN cuts the number off at the given decimal place and never rounds up, so 3.9999 stays 3.99 instead of becoming 4.00. That is the rule for cutoffs like scholarships, where a value must not be rounded past the bar. The second argument works like ROUND's: 0 for whole numbers, -1 for tens.

## Other ways

- `=TRUNC(B2,2)`: TRUNC gives the same result: both cut toward zero.
- `=ROUND(B2,2)`: Normal rounding, for comparison. (Rounds half up: 3.50, 2.96, 3.80, 3.12, 4.00.)

## Common mistakes

- Number formatting with 2 decimals rounds the display normally, so 3.4987 shows as 3.50 even though the value is unchanged. Use ROUNDDOWN to change the value.
- ROUNDDOWN moves toward zero, so -2.567 becomes -2.56. INT moves down, to -3, which matters for negative numbers.

## Questions

**How do I round down to a whole number?**

Use `=ROUNDDOWN(B2,0)`, or `=INT(B2)` for positive numbers.

**How do I round down to the nearest 10?**

Use a negative digit count: `=ROUNDDOWN(B2,-1)`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/round-down