Abdul Alim: a little bit learning, let's go

Excel, VBA and Power BI tutorials 

AREAS Formula

Definition:

The “AREAS” formula in Excel returns the number of areas in a reference. It is useful while working with non-contiguous ranges of cells or when combining ranges of different sizes.

Purpose:

The purpose of the “AREAS” formula is to count the number of individual ranges in a reference.

Syntax:

The syntax of the “AREAS” formula is

=AREAS(reference)

Parameters:

reference: Required. It specifies the reference for which you want to count the number of areas.

Returns:

The “AREAS” formula returns the number of areas in a reference.

Availability:

The “AREAS” formula is available in all versions of Excel.

Example-1:

=AREAS(A1:B2) returns 1, as it is a single range.

Example-2:

=AREAS((A1:A2, B1:B2)) returns 2, as it is two separate ranges.

Example-3:

=AREAS(A1:B2, C1:D2, E1:F2) returns 3, as it is three separate ranges.

Example-4:

=AREAS((A1:B2, C1:D2:E3)) returns 2, as it is two separate ranges.

Example-5:

=AREAS((A1:C1, A2:C2)) returns 2, as it is two separate ranges.

Tips and tricks:

• Use the “AREAS” formula to quickly count the number of individual ranges in a reference.

Limitations:

• The AREAS function only returns a numerical value representing the number of areas in a range. It does not provide any information about the individual areas.

• The AREAS function is not commonly used in calculations and is more useful for reference purposes.

Common errors and solutions:

#VALUE! error: Occurs when the reference parameter is not a valid reference. Check the reference and ensure it is correct.

List of Related functions:

• COUNT: Returns the number of cells in a range that contains numbers.

• COUNTA: Returns the number of non-empty cells in a range.

• COUNTBLANK: Returns the number of blank cells in a range.

Frequently Used with the formulas:

The “AREAS” formula is frequently used with other formulas like “SUM” or “AVERAGE” to perform calculations on individual ranges within a larger reference.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How many parameters does the AREAS function require in Excel?

A: The AREAS function requires only one parameter, which is a range of cells.

Q: Can the AREAS function be used with multiple ranges?

A: Yes, the AREAS function can be used with multiple ranges. If you have multiple ranges to specify, you must enclose all the ranges in parentheses.