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CEILING.MATH Function

Excel 2013+

Summary

The CEILING.MATH function rounds a number up to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. It provides flexible control over rounding direction for negative numbers, making it ideal for financial calculations, pricing strategies, and data normalization tasks.

Syntax

CEILING.MATH(number, [significance], [mode])

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
number	`Number`	Yes	The numeric value to round (valid range: -2.229E-308 to 9.99E+307)
significance	`Number`	No	The multiple to round to. Default is +1 for positive numbers, -1 for negative numbers
mode	`Number`	No	Controls negative number rounding: 0 (default, toward zero), -1 (away from zero), 1 (toward zero)

Using the CEILING.MATH Function

CEILING.MATH excels in scenarios requiring consistent upward rounding, such as pricing (rounding up to next dollar), financial calculations (ceiling to payment periods), and data processing (normalizing measurements to standard units). The mode parameter provides precise control over negative value behavior which is crucial for balanced datasets.

Common CEILING.MATH Examples

Round to Nearest Multiple of 5

=CEILING.MATH(24.3,5)

Rounds 24.3 up to nearest multiple of 5, result is 25.

Simple Ceiling to Integer

=CEILING.MATH(6.7)

Rounds 6.7 up to nearest integer, result is 7.

Negative Number Default Rounding

=CEILING.MATH(-8.1,2)

Rounds -8.1 toward zero to nearest even multiple, result is -8.

Negative Number Away from Zero

=CEILING.MATH(-5.5,2,-1)

With mode -1, rounds -5.5 away from zero to -6.

Frequently Asked Questions

Positive numbers default to significance +1 (nearest integer up), negative numbers default to -1.

No, mode only controls the rounding direction for negative numbers.

Yes, but results may be unexpected. Whole numbers are recommended for predictable multiples.

Common Errors and Solutions

#NUM! error

Cause: Number outside valid range or invalid significance/mode values

Solution: Ensure number is between -2.229E-308 and 9.99E+307

#VALUE! error

Cause: Non-numeric arguments provided

Solution: All inputs must be valid numbers

Notes

Mode 0 (default): Negative numbers round toward zero
Mode -1: Negative numbers round away from zero
Mode 1: Negative numbers round toward zero (same as default)
Integer inputs return unchanged
Replaces older CEILING function with better negative number control

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Excel 365

Not available in: Excel 2010, Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Earlier versions

Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2013+