number1 - Required. First number or range to evaluate for maximum value.
number2, ... - Optional. Additional numbers or ranges (up to 255 arguments). MAX will find the largest value across all arguments.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Amount | Max Check |
| 2 | 45000 | |
| 3 | 62000 | |
| 4 | 38000 | |
| 5 | Formula: | =MAX(A2:A4) 62000 |
Find largest value in cells A1 to A10
=MAX(A1:A10) → 95
Find largest value across multiple ranges
=MAX(A1:A10, C1:C10) → 98
Find largest of directly entered numbers
=MAX(100, 250, 75, 180) → 250
Find largest value in entire column B
=MAX(B:B) → highest value in column
Track highest monthly sales figure across sales team members using MAX function for performance reporting and commission calculations. The MAX function in Excel helps identify top-performing months, analyze sales trends, and benchmark performance against highest historical achievements. This is essential for sales managers, regional directors, and CFOs managing sales team performance, bonus calculations, and revenue forecasting.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salesperson | Jan Sales | Feb Sales |
| 2 | Alice | 45000 | 52000 |
| 3 | Bob | 38000 | 48000 |
| 4 | Max Sales: | =MAX(B2:B3, C2:C3) 52000 |
Monitor equipment performance by tracking maximum temperature readings and triggering alerts when peak temperatures exceed safety thresholds. The MAX function enables real-time equipment monitoring, predictive maintenance systems, and automated safety alerts in manufacturing, HVAC systems, data centers, and industrial facilities. Essential for plant managers and maintenance teams ensuring equipment reliability and worker safety.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hour | Temperature | Alert Status |
| 2 | 1:00 | 65 | |
| 3 | 2:00 | 78 | |
| 4 | 3:00 | 82 | |
| 5 | Max Check: | =IF(MAX(B2:B4)>80,"⚠️ ALERT","Normal") ⚠️ ALERT |
❌ The Problem:
✅ Solution:
=MAX(A1:C1)Use range notation (A1:C1) instead of comma-separated cells. Ranges automatically expand and adapt when new data is added.
❌ The Problem:
✅ Solution:
=MAX(IF(ISNUMBER(A1:A10),A1:A10))Use ISNUMBER to filter only numeric values before finding max. This MAX formula pattern ignores text while finding the largest number.
❌ The Problem:
✅ Solution:
=MAX(A:A, B:B, C:C)Use entire column references for flexibility, or consolidate ranges into single array. This MAX formula approach is cleaner and automatically handles new rows.
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