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How to find the maximum / minimum absolute values in Excel?

In Excel, we can use the Max or Min function to find out the largest or smallest values in a range of cells. But here, if your worksheet is populated with positive numbers and negatives, and you need to find out the maximum absolute values or minimum absolute values, the Max or Min function will not help you. Today, I will talk about some quick tricks for you to solve this task.

Find the maximum / minimum absolute values with Formulas

Find the maximum / minimum absolute values with User Defined Function

Find the maximum / minimum absolute values with Kutools for Excel good idea3

Sum the absolute value with Kutools for Excel good idea3

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The following small array formulas can help you to find out the largest absolute value and the smallest absolute value.

1. In a blank cell, enter this formula =Max(ABS(A1:D10)), see screenshot:

doc-find-max-absolute-value1

2. Then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys, and the largest absolute values will be displayed in the cell.

doc-find-max-absolute-value2

If you want to find out the smallest absolute value in a range of cells, you can apply this formula: =Min(ABS(A1:D10)), and remember to press Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys to get the correct result.

Note: In the formula, A1:D10 is the range you want to select the largest or smallest value from. You can change it as your need.

You can also get the maximum or minimum absolute values by creating a user defined function, please do as the following steps:

1. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following code in the Module window.

Function MaxABS(WorkRng As Range) As Double
'Update 20130907
Dim arr As Variant
arr = WorkRng.Value
For i = 1 To UBound(arr, 1)
    For j = 1 To UBound(arr, 2)
        arr(i, j) = VBA.Abs(arr(i, j))
    Next
Next
MaxABS = Application.WorksheetFunction.Max(arr)
End Function
Function MinABS(WorkRng As Range) As Double
Dim arr As Variant
arr = WorkRng.Value
For i = 1 To UBound(arr, 1)
    For j = 1 To UBound(arr, 2)
        arr(i, j) = VBA.Abs(arr(i, j))
    Next
Next
MinABS = Application.WorksheetFunction.Min(arr)
End Function

3. Then save this code and input this formula =MaxABS(A1:D10) into an empty cell to get the largest absolute value. See screenshot:

doc-find-max-absolute-value3

4. And then press Enter key, you will get the largest absolute value. See screenshot:

doc-find-max-absolute-value4

You can get the smallest absolute value by applying this formula =MinABS(A1:D10) after pasting the above code.

Note: In the formula, A1:D10 is the range you want to select the largest or smallest value from. You can change it as your need.

Actually

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After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:(Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)

1. You had better to make a copy of the data first, and then select data and click Kutools > Content > Change Sign of Values. See screenshot:
doc find abs max 1

2. In the popping dialog, check , and click Ok and then all the negative values have been converted to positive. See Screenshots:

doc find abs max 2
doc find abs max 3

3. Select a blank cell and type formula =Max(A1:D5)(A1:D5 is the data range you use, and you can use =Min(A1:D5)to find the minimum value) to find the maximum value. See screenshots:

doc find abs max 4
doc arrow down
doc find abs max 5

In some cases, you have a range of values both including negative and positive values, but you want to sum their absolute values up, how can you quickly get it done? With Kutools for Excel, you can quickly handle it by the Sum absolute values function.

After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:(Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)

1. Select a blank cell which will output the summing result, and click Kutools > Formula > Sum absolute values. See screenshot:
doc sum abs 1

2. Click icon doc sum abs 2 to select the cells you want to sumup, and then click OK > Ok to close dialogs, and then you can see the sumup result. See screenshot:

doc sum abs 3
doc sum abs 4

Related articles:

How to find the max or min value for each day in an Excel range?

How to find max or min value based on unique values in Excel?

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  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    AC · 3 years ago
    Hello- i have seen the combination of min and abs being used together in a few formulas, i actually copied and pasted one with the accompanied data to check if it worked- excel is not giving the correct answer in that combination of formulas. i have to do each step individually to get the correct answer. I am wondering if i am missing something here
    i was using this https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/1050-excel-find-closest-value.html to check how to use them together. i need

    INDEX(A1:A20,MATCH(MIN(ABS(A1:A20-D1)),ABS(A1:A20-D1),0)) formula to work but when it wasnt when i copied it and when i did each step individually the min/abs combo dosent yield the expected answer. help pls
  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    Deepak · 4 years ago
    Hi,
    it's very useful for Me, but I need one more thing with this function I required to get cell address of Min or Max value that we found from this function.

    Please do needful

    Thanks,
    Deepak
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