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MOD vs QUOTIENT: remainder vs whole-number division in Excel and Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=MOD(A2,B2)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Dividend | Divisor |
| 17 | 5 |
=MOD(A2,B2)→2
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Step by step
- 1MOD(17, 5) returns the remainder — here 2.
- 2QUOTIENT(17, 5) returns the whole-number part — 3.
- 3Use MOD for cycles (every nth row, odd/even) and QUOTIENT for how-many-whole-groups.
Tips
- MOD(ROW(), 2) flags alternating rows for banded formatting.
- MOD is handy for wrapping values, e.g. converting hours past midnight back into a 24-hour clock.
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Frequently asked
What does MOD return with a negative number?
In Excel and Sheets, MOD takes the sign of the divisor, so MOD(-17, 5) returns 3, not -2. Use care with negatives.