Syntax
=MAX(value1, [value2, ...])
value1- A number, cell or range.
value2, ...- Optional. More values or ranges.
MAX function in Google Sheets
MAX returns the largest number in a set of values, such as the top score, the highest price or the latest result.
Practice MAX
Task 1 of 2
What is the most expensive listing? Answer in D2.
Tip: while typing a formula, click a cell or drag across cells to insert references. Press Enter to check, and Tab to accept a function suggestion.
MAX examples
Each example below runs against this sample sheet. The results are calculated by the same engine as the practice grid.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rep | Region | Product | Units | Revenue |
| 2 | Ava | West | Monitor | 12 | $2,400.00 |
| 3 | Liam | East | Keyboard | 30 | $1,500.00 |
| 4 | Maya | West | Mouse | 45 | $900.00 |
| 5 | Noah | North | Monitor | 8 | $1,600.00 |
| 6 | Zara | East | Monitor | 15 | $3,000.00 |
| 7 | Omar | West | Keyboard | 22 | $1,100.00 |
| Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
=MAX(E2:E7) | $3,000.00 | Highest revenue. |
=MAX(D2:D7) | 45 | Most units sold. |
=MAX(E2:E7) - MIN(E2:E7) | $2,100.00 | The spread between best and worst. |
=INDEX(A2:A7, MATCH(MAX(E2:E7), E2:E7, 0)) | Zara | Who had the highest revenue? |
Tips and common mistakes
- Text and blanks are ignored. If there are no numbers, MAX returns 0.
- Use LARGE for the 2nd, 3rd or nth largest value.
- A common pattern is capping a value with MIN and flooring it with MAX, e.g. =MAX(0, B2-C2) never goes below zero.
Related functions
Learning step by step? MAX is covered in Lesson 4: MIN & MAX of the free course.