ODD Function in Excel: Round Up to an Odd Number

ODD Function in Excel: Round Up to an Odd Number featured illustration

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 5 October 2026

MathLevel: BeginnerAvailable in: Excel 2007+

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

ODD rounds away from zero to the next odd integer — for example committee sizes that must avoid tied votes.

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Syntax

=ODD(number)
Argument What it means
number Any number.

Examples

Example 1

=ODD(4)

Returns 5.

ODD in practice

Where you will use it

  • Round up to odd sizes (some packaging, panel counts)
  • Puzzle and layout calculations
  • Odd-numbered seat assignments

Worked example

ValueFormulaResult
2=ODD(A2)3
3.1=ODD(A3)5
-2.2=ODD(A4)-3

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

MistakeWhat to do instead
Expecting normal roundingODD always rounds away from zero to an odd number
ZeroODD(0) is 1

EVEN · ISODD

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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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