In this detailed guide, we will explore various aspects of subtraction in Excel, covering the following topics:

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Subtraction in Excel
• #1 – Subtract Cells in Excel
• #2 – Subtract Dates in Excel
• #3 – Subtract Time in Excel
• #4 – Subtract Percentage in Excel
• #5 – Subtract same number from range of numbers

You can download the accompanying Excel Workbook to follow along and master subtraction in Excel – download excel workbookSubtraction-in-Excel.xlsx

Introduction to Subtraction in Excel

Excel does not have a specific built-in formula for subtraction, but you can use the minus (-) operator to subtract values and calculate differences between numbers, dates, time values, and percentages.

The syntax for subtraction in Excel is straightforward:

=Number1 – Number2

Here, number1 and number2 can be numbers, cell references, dates, times, percentages, or other mathematical expressions.

For instance, to subtract 50 from 200, follow these steps:

STEP 1: Start the formula with the equal sign (=).

=

STEP 2: Enter the number from which you want to subtract (200).

= 200

STEP 3: Add the minus operator (-).

=200 –

STEP 5: Enter the number to be subtracted (50).

= 200 – 50

The result after subtracting 50 from 200 will be displayed as 150.

#1 – Subtract Cells in Excel

Instead of manually entering numbers, you can utilize cell references for a more dynamic approach. This method automatically updates the result when values change, offering greater flexibility.

For example, if you have actual expenses in Column A and budgeted expenses in Column B, and you want to calculate the variance, using cell references is highly recommended. Here's how:

STEP 1: Begin the formula with the equal sign (=).

=

STEP 2: Enter the cell reference for actual expenses (A2).

= A2

STEP 3: Add the minus operator (-).

=A2 –

STEP 5: Enter the cell reference for budgeted expenses (B2).

= A2 – B2

The variance will be calculated and shown in cell C2.

#2 – Subtract Dates in Excel

In Excel, dates are stored as serial numbers, starting with January 1, 1900, as serial number 1. This allows you to subtract dates using the minus operator.

For example, with a start date in cell A2 (01-Jan-2023) and an end date in cell B2 (15-Feb-2023), use this formula to find the number of days between them:

= B2 – A2

The result (45 days) will be displayed in cell C2.

#3 – Subtract Time in Excel

To subtract time in Excel, the minus operator (-) is used similarly to numbers and dates.

If you have a start time in cell A2 (6 AM) and an end time in cell B2 (12 PM), calculate the time difference with:

= B2 – A2

The result (0.25, representing 6 hours or a quarter of a day) will be shown in cell C1.

#4 – Subtract Percentages in Excel

Subtracting one percentage from another is straightforward using the minus operator. For example:

=100% – 30%

Alternatively, if percentages are in separate cells, use cell references:

=A2 – B2

Both methods work effectively in Excel for percentage calculations.

#5 – Subtract same number from range of numbers

To subtract a specific number from each cell in a column, Excel's Paste Special feature is a quick solution. Here’s how to do it:

STEP 1: Copy the number to be subtracted (e.g., 299 in cell D2).

STEP 2: Select the range of cells to subtract from (e.g., B2:B10).

STEP 3: Right-click the selected range and choose Paste Special.

STEP 4: In the Paste Special dialog box, select Subtract and click OK.

Excel will subtract 299 from each cell in the selected range, showing the results.

Conclusion

Subtraction in Excel is a fundamental arithmetic operation used to calculate differences between numbers, dates, time values, and percentages. You can either subtract values directly or use cell references for dynamic formulas that update automatically.

Excel's Paste Special feature is also useful for subtracting the same number from a column of numbers efficiently.

Click here to learn more about how to use subtraction in Excel.

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