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 How to count max number of consecutive positive / negative numbers in Excel?

Author: Xiaoyang Last Modified: 2024-11-05

If you have a list of data which mix with positive and negative numbers, and now, you want to count the max number of consecutive positive and negative numbers as following screenshot shown, how could you deal with this task in Excel?

count max number of consecutive positive or negative numbers

Count the max number of consecutive positive and negative numbers with array formulas


Count the max number of consecutive positive and negative numbers with array formulas

To get the max number of consecutive positive and negative numbers, please apply the following array formulas:

Count the max number of consecutive positive numbers:

Enter this formula into a cell where you want to get the result:

=MAX(FREQUENCY(IF(A2:A20>0,ROW(A2:A20)),IF(A2:A20<=0,ROW(A2:A20)))), and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together, and you will get the correct result as you need, see screenshot:

apply a formula to count the max number of consecutive positive numbers


Count the max number of consecutive negative numbers:

Enter this formula into a cell where you want to get the result:

=MAX(FREQUENCY(IF(A2:A20<0,ROW(A2:A20)),IF(A2:A20>=0,ROW(A2:A20)))), and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys simultaneously, and you will get the result as you need, see screenshot:

apply a formula to count the max number of consecutivenegative numbers

Note: In the above formulas, A2:A20 is the list of cell range which you want to use.

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