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How to check if the number is prime number in Excel?

As we all known, a prime number is a natural number which contains only two distinct natural number divisors: One and itself. If you have a list of numbers in a worksheet, how could you check if the numbers are prime numbers?

Check if a number is prime number with array formula

Check if a number is prime number with User Defined Function

arrow blue right bubble Check if a number is prime number with array formula

The following formula can help you identify the number whether it is a prime number or not, please do as this:

1. Enter the following formula into a blank cell – C2 for example beside your data:

=IF(A2=2,"Prime",IF(AND(MOD(A2,ROW(INDIRECT("2:"&ROUNDUP(SQRT(A2),0))))<>0),"Prime","Not Prime")) (A2 is the cell contains the number that you want to check), and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together, and you will get the result, if the number is prime, it will display “Prime” in the cell, if not, “Not Prime” will be displayed, see screenshot:

doc check if prime 1

2. Then select the cell C2, and drag the fill handle down to the cells which you want to apply this formula, and all the numbers will be identified if is prime number or not. See screenshot:

doc check if prime 2

arrow blue right bubble Check if a number is prime number with User Defined Function

The following User Defined Function also can help you to check the numbers if prime or not, please do as follows:

1. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

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

VBA code: Check if a number is prime or not:

Function CheckPrime(Numb As Single) As Boolean
'Updateby Extendoffice
    Dim X As Long
    If Numb < 2 Or (Numb <> 2 And Numb Mod 2 = 0) _
     Or Numb <> Int(Numb) Then Exit Function
    For X = 3 To Sqr(Numb) Step 2
        If Numb Mod X = 0 Then Exit Function
    Next
    CheckPrime = True
End Function

3. Then save and close this code, go back to the worksheet, and enter this formula: =checkprime(A2) into a blank cell beside your number list, and then drag the fill handle down to the cells which you want to contain this formula, if the number is prime number, it will display TRUE, if not, it will display FALSE, see screenshot:

doc check if prime 3

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Comments (21)
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craig
craig
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DO NOT ENTER THE FORMULAE IN THE CELL. Select the cell then paste the formulae in the formulae bar and press ctrl+shft+Enter. it should put { around the formulae} otherwise its wrong.
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ChrisA
ChrisA     craig
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Craig, Thanks - that works! Sorry, I didn't read the instructions sufficiently carefully.
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ChrisA
ChrisA
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There is definitely a problem with this equation. I did a direct copy/paste and checked it was a faithful copy but it still has 9, 15, 21, 25, 33, 35 and 39 as primes when they obviously are not. On quick inspection it seems as if factors of 3 and 5 are giving rise to some sort of problem. It is a very complicated formula for a single cell - so much so, I can't work out what it is trying to do. I usually break such things down into multiple cells to make debugging easier (which, I believe is Excel best practice). The function seems to work, though.
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Chris
Chris
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There is definitely a problem with this equation. I did a direct copy/paste and checked it was a faithful copy but it still has 9, 15, 21, 25, 33, 35 and 39 as primes when they obviously are not. On quick inspection it seems as if factors of 3 and 5 are giving rise to some sort of problem. It is a very complicated formula for a single cell - so much so, I can't work out what it is trying to do. I usually break such things down into multiple cells to make debugging easier (which, I believe is Excel best practice).
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gian_ve
gian_ve
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Hi.

I am using an italian version of Excel, so the formula does not work and i have an error. Can you help me?

Thanks in advance
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skyyang
skyyang     gian_ve
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Hi, Gian,
If the formula does not work correctly for you, you can apply the second method-User Defined Function. Please try, hope it can help you!
Thank you!
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gian_ve
gian_ve     skyyang
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Hi skyyang.
If it can be useful for others researchers, I inform you that I have found the solution to my problem here => http://www.riolab.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=172&Itemid=68

Thank you!
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Kiran
Kiran
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Yes it worked wen I did Ctrl+Shift+Enter... !! Thank you..:D and Do u mind explaining the algorithm please.
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Nathan
Nathan
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There's a reference error when you type in numbers that have more than 12 digits.
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skyyang
skyyang     Nathan
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Hello,Nathan,
As you said, when the numbers are longer than 12 digits, it will become scientific notation. The formula is not applied for this formatting.
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vaibhav
vaibhav
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well 4095 is not a prime. still it gives result as prime no though. its incorrect.
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skyyang
skyyang     vaibhav
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Hello, vaibhav,
When you pasting above formula, you should press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together, not just Enter key, please try it again.
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xsoft.cz@gmail.com
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Your formula is not working. Eg. 1681 is NOT a prime but by formula it is.
=IF(A2=2,"Prime",IF(AND(MOD(A2,ROW(INDIRECT("2:"&ROUNDUP(SQRT(A2),0))))<>0),"Prime","Not Prime"))
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skyyang
skyyang    
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Hello, Jan,
The above formula is correct, after pastingt the formula into a cell, you should press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together, not just Enter key.
Please try it again, thank you!
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xsoft.cz@gmail.com
    skyyang
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Yes, it was that case with CSE. Thanks (it's fixed now).
https://superuser.com/questions/674566/when-to-use-ctrlshiftenter-and-when-to-use-enter-in-excel

Btw Czech variant to:
=IF(A2=2,"Prime",IF(AND(MOD(A2,ROW(INDIRECT("2:"&ROUNDUP(SQRT(A2),0))))<>0),"Prime","Not Prime"))
is:
=KDYŽ(A2=2;"Prime";KDYŽ(A(MOD(A2;ŘÁDEK(NEPŘÍMÝ.ODKAZ("2:"&ROUNDUP(ODMOCNINA(A2);0))))<>0);"Prime";"Not Prime"))

Compare: https://imgur.com/a/4MgeV
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John Kennedy Aquino
John Kennedy Aquino
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this is my fastest version Sub generateprimenumbersbetween3() starting_number = 1 'input value here last_number = 30000 'input value here primenumbers = "" For a = starting_number To last_number c = a For b = 2 To c If a Mod b = 0 And c b Then Exit For Else If b = c Then primenumbers = primenumbers & " " & a Exit For Else If Round(a / (b + 1)) + 1 > b Then c = Round(a / (b + 1)) + 1 End If End If End If Next b Next a MsgBox primenumbers End Sub Sub ISPRIME3() number_to_be_checked = 2000000000 'input value here c = number_to_be_checked For b = 2 To c If number_to_be_checked Mod b = 0 And c b Then MsgBox "Not Prime. Divisible by " & b Exit Sub Else If b = c Then MsgBox "Prime" Exit Sub Else If Round(number_to_be_checked / (b + 1)) + 1 > b Then c = Round(number_to_be_checked / (b + 1)) + 1 End If End If End If Next b End Sub
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Rick
Rick
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The user defined function does not seem to work for numbers above ~16777213
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John Kennedy Aquino
John Kennedy Aquino     Rick
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Sub generateprimenumbersbetween() starting_number = 99990 'input value here last_number = 99999 'input value here primenumbers = "" For a = starting_number To last_number For b = 2 To a If a - b * Int(a / b) = 0 And a b Then Exit For Else If a = b Then primenumbers = primenumbers & " " & a End If End If Next b Next a MsgBox primenumbers End Sub Function primenumbersbetween(starting_number, last_number) primenumbers = "" For a = starting_number To last_number For b = 2 To a If a - b * Int(a / b) = 0 And a b Then Exit For Else If a = b Then primenumbers = primenumbers & " " & a End If End If Next b Next a primenumbersbetween = primenumbers End Function 'to check if a number is prime Sub ISPRIME() number_to_be_checked = 102 'input value here For b = 2 To number_to_be_checked If number_to_be_checked - b * Int(number_to_be_checked / b) = 0 And _ number_to_be_checked b Then MsgBox "Not Prime. Divisible by " & b Exit Sub Else If number_to_be_checked = b Then MsgBox "Prime" End If End If Next b End Sub 'to check if a number is prime Function ISPRIME2(number_to_be_checked) For b = 2 To number_to_be_checked If number_to_be_checked - b * Int(number_to_be_checked / b) = 0 And _ number_to_be_checked b Then ISPRIME2 = "Not Prime. Divisible by " & b Exit Function Else If number_to_be_checked = b Then ISPRIME2 = "Prime" End If End If Next b End Function
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