COMBINA Function in Excel: Combinations With Repeats

COMBINA Function in Excel: Combinations With Repeats featured illustration

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 28 September 2026

MathLevel: ExpertAvailable in: Excel 2013+

In this article
  1. Syntax
  2. Examples
  3. Example 1
  4. COMBINA in practice
  5. Where you will use it
  6. Worked example
  7. Mistakes people make
  8. Related functions
  9. Continue learning

COMBINA counts selections where the same item can be chosen more than once — scoops of ice cream from four flavours.

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Syntax

=COMBINA(number, number_chosen)
Argument What it means
number Item types.

Examples

Example 1

=COMBINA(4, 2)

10 two-scoop cups from four flavours (including double chocolate).

COMBINA in practice

Where you will use it

  • Combinations with repeats (e.g. scoops of ice cream)
  • Choosing items with replacement
  • Probability teaching

Worked example

KindsChosenFormulaResult
53=COMBINA(A2,B2)35
102=COMBINA(A3,B3)55
34=COMBINA(A4,B4)15

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

MistakeWhat to do instead
Without repeatsUse COMBIN
Order mattersUse PERMUTATIONA

COMBIN · PERMUT

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📎 Practice files for this article

  • 📗
    Practice workbook: Math & rounding24 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.
    ⬇ XLSX · 35 KB

Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.

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