Syntax
TRUNC(number, [num_digits])
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| number | Parameter of the TRUNC function. |
| [num_digits] | (Optional.) Parameter of the TRUNC function. |
Examples
Remove decimals
Formula
=TRUNC(8.75)
Returns 8. Simply drops the .75 without rounding. INT(8.75) also returns 8, but they differ for negative numbers.
Keep one decimal
Formula
=TRUNC(3.14159, 1)
Returns 3.1. Keeps one decimal place and discards the rest. No rounding — 3.19 would also give 3.1.
Negative number
Formula
=TRUNC(-5.8)
Returns -5, not -6. This is where TRUNC differs from INT: INT(-5.8) returns -6 because INT rounds toward negative infinity, while TRUNC rounds toward zero.
Common Errors
#VALUE!
Passing text instead of a number returns #VALUE!. Ensure your input is numeric.
Tips
TRUNC vs INT for negatives
This is the key distinction: TRUNC(-3.7)=-3 but INT(-3.7)=-4. TRUNC always moves toward zero; INT always moves toward negative infinity.
Extract whole and fractional parts
Whole part: =TRUNC(A1). Fractional part: =A1-TRUNC(A1). This cleanly separates dollars from cents or hours from minutes.
Default is 0 decimal places
If you omit the second argument, TRUNC truncates to a whole number. Specify num_digits to keep that many decimal places.
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