In this article we will show you exactly how to multiply numbers in google sheets using the multiply sign (operator), MULTIPLY function and PRODUCT functuon along with sample formulas and examples.
The Multiply operator is the simplest way of getting the product of two or more numbers in Google Sheets. We show three ways to use this method below.
=num1*num2*num3*...
Where num1, num2, num3 can be numbers or references to the cells containing them.
You can add more as needed, as indicated by the ellipsis (...) symbol; however, add the operator before the next number. For example, you want to get the product of five numbers. The formula becomes:
=num1*num2*num3*num4*num5
Start with the first cell, then type an asterisk symbol, then select the second cell.
If the numbers are stored in different cells, you can select them one by one, adding an asterisk after each selected cell until the last one.
=MULTIPLY(num1,num2)
Where num1 and num2 are numbers. They can be the numbers themselves or references to the cells containing them.
If you add at least a third number to the formula, you will get the following error:
Press Ctrl button (Windows) or Command ⌘ (Mac) while selecting the cells.
In certain calculations, you need to deal with a fixed number or factor. This is possible, whether you include the number or store it in a separate cell.
There are two ways to pull this off:
=num1*const
=MULTIPLY(num1,const)
Where num1 is the number to be multiplied to fixed number const. Num1 is reference to the cell containing the value while const can either be number added to the formula or a reference to the cell containing it fixed as absolute reference with the following form:
$C$R
Where C is the column letter and R is the row number. If the fixed number is located at A3, then the corresponding reference is
$A$3
Hold the small box on the lower-right corner of the highlight of the cell, then drag it down the column. You can also double-click it to automatically be copied to other cells along the column.
Use this function if you need the product of three or more numbers.
=PRODUCT(num1,num2,num3,...)
Where num1, num2, num3 can be numbers or references to the cells containing them. You can add more as needed.
Press Ctrl button (Windows) or Command ⌘ (Mac) while selecting the cells.
If you need to get the product of two numbers along two columns, it takes a long time if you decide to set the formula for each row. Turns out, there is a simple solution.
=ARRAYFORMULA(MULTIPLY(col1,col2))
Where col1 and col2 are the range of columns. Make sure they have the same length so the formula works.
You can have up to 30 numbers. Realistically, you only need to set three to five numbers for a formula.
MULTIPLY function is best used when dealing with two numbers. PRODUCT function works best when dealing with three or more numbers.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on how to add up columns in Google Sheets or our article on how to subtract in Google Sheets.
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