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In this article
SMALL returns the k-th smallest number — bottom-N lists and the earliest dates.
Syntax
=SMALL(array, k)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
k |
1 = smallest. |
Examples
Example 1
=SMALL(A2:A500, 1)Earliest date.
Example 2
=SMALL(E2:E500, 3)Third-lowest price.
SMALL in practice
Where you will use it
- Lowest 3 prices
- Earliest dates
- Second smallest value
Worked example
| k | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | =SMALL({45000,62000,38000,71000,52000},A2) | 38000 |
| 2 | =SMALL({45000,62000,38000,71000,52000},A3) | 45000 |
| 3 | =SMALL({45000,62000,38000,71000,52000},A4) | 52000 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Blanks | Ignored; zeros are not |
| k too big | #NUM! |
Related functions
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Statistics basics22 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 34 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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