--- title: "CEILING.MATH function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" description: "How to use CEILING.MATH in Excel and Google Sheets: round up to the next 5, 10 or quarter hour, and how many boxes an order needs." canonical_url: "https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math" locale: en meta: "og:description": "How to use CEILING.MATH in Excel and Google Sheets: round up to the next 5, 10 or quarter hour, and how many boxes an order needs." "og:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBDRUlMSU5HLk1BVEggaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHJvdW5kIHVwIHRvIHRoZSBuZXh0IDUsIDEwIG9yIHF1YXJ0ZXIgaG91ciwgYW5kIGhvdyBtYW55IGJveGVzIGFuIG9yZGVyIG5lZWRzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIKG51bWJlciwgW3NpZ25pZmljYW5jZV0sIFttb2RlXSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvY2VpbGluZy1tYXRoIg%2Cs_pMJbcj54USW-h17E.png" "og:image:height": "600" "og:image:type": image/png "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "CEILING.MATH function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" "twitter:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBDRUlMSU5HLk1BVEggaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHJvdW5kIHVwIHRvIHRoZSBuZXh0IDUsIDEwIG9yIHF1YXJ0ZXIgaG91ciwgYW5kIGhvdyBtYW55IGJveGVzIGFuIG9yZGVyIG5lZWRzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIKG51bWJlciwgW3NpZ25pZmljYW5jZV0sIFttb2RlXSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvY2VpbGluZy1tYXRoIg%2Cs_pMJbcj54USW-h17E.png" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt) # **The CEILING.MATH function** Rounds a number up to the nearest multiple you choose, such as the next 5, 10 or 0.25. Without a multiple it rounds up to the next whole number. = CEILING.MATH( ## **Syntax** ``` CEILING.MATH(number, [significance], [mode]) ```
**number **
The number to round up.
**significance **(optional)
The multiple to round to. Left out, 1.
**mode **(optional)
For negative numbers only. 0 or left out rounds toward zero, any other number rounds away from zero.
## **Examples** D1=CEILING.MATH(B1/B2) | | A | B | C | D | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Items to ship | 130 | | **6** | | 2 | Items per box | 24 | | | B1`=CEILING.MATH(123,25)` | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **25** | **In plain words:** Round 123 up to the nearest 2multiple of 5. B1=CEILING.MATH(7.1,0.25) | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **7.25** | ## **Questions**
### What is the difference between CEILING.MATH and ROUNDUP? ROUNDUP rounds up to a number of decimals, such as 0.1 or 0.01. CEILING.MATH rounds up to any multiple, such as 5, 12 or 0.25.
### Should I use CEILING or CEILING.MATH? Use CEILING.MATH in new sheets. CEILING is the older version; it needs the multiple and handles negative numbers differently.
## **Related functions** - [**ROUNDUP**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/roundup) - [**ROUND**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/round) - [**INT**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/int) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","logo":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","alternateName":["Practice Excel Online","PracticeExcelOnline.com"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"workTranslation":{"@id":"https://excelopgaver.dk/#website"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#webpage","description":"How to use CEILING.MATH in Excel and Google Sheets: round up to the next 5, 10 or quarter hour, and how many boxes an order needs.","name":"CEILING.MATH function in Excel: syntax and examples","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math","@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#/schema/question/1"},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#/schema/question/2"}],"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Excel functions","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"CEILING.MATH function in Excel: syntax and examples","position":3}]},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#article","description":"How to use CEILING.MATH in Excel and Google Sheets: round up to the next 5, 10 or quarter hour, and how many boxes an order needs.","headline":"CEILING.MATH function in Excel: syntax and examples","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBDRUlMSU5HLk1BVEggaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHJvdW5kIHVwIHRvIHRoZSBuZXh0IDUsIDEwIG9yIHF1YXJ0ZXIgaG91ciwgYW5kIGhvdyBtYW55IGJveGVzIGFuIG9yZGVyIG5lZWRzLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~Q0VJTElORy5NQVRIKG51bWJlciwgW3NpZ25pZmljYW5jZV0sIFttb2RlXSk%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvY2VpbGluZy1tYXRoIg%2Cs_pMJbcj54USW-h17E.png","@type":["Article","TechArticle"],"author":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"image":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#/schema/image/1"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#webpage"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/ceiling-math#/schema/question/1","@type":"Question","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"What is the difference between CEILING.MATH and ROUNDUP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"ROUNDUP rounds up to a number of decimals, such as 0.1 or 0.01. 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