Divide (Numbers or Cells) in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, you have two primary methods to perform division; the first is by using the divide operator, and the second is by using the function DIVIDE. You need to have two values, dividend and divisor.

Use the Divide Operator in Google Sheets

You can use the below steps to divide:

1. Enter a (=) in a cell.
2. Refer to the cell with the dividend number.
3. Type the (/) dividing operator (forward slash).
4. Refer to the cell with the divisor number.
5. Hit enter to get the result.

= dividend/divisor

In the above example, we have 120 as a dividend (a number you want to be divided) and 10 as a divisor (a number you want to divide by). And when you use the divide operator to divide, it returns 12 in the result.

Divide with the DIVIDE Function

You can use a specific function to divide two numbers in Google Sheets.

1. First, enter the (=DIVIDE) in a cell.
2. After that, in the first argument, refer to the cell with the dividend.
3. Next, in the second argument, refer to the cell with the divisor.
4. In the end, close the function and hit enter to get the result.

In the above example, we have used the same example from the first method, and the result is again the same.

#DIV/0! Error while Divide.

If somehow you have a divisor equivalent to 0, your formula will return an #DIV/0! Error in the result. In the example below, the divisor is zero (0); in the result, we have the #DIV/0! Error.

And if you have zero (0) in the dividend, the result will always be a zero (0).

=DIVIDE(dividend,dividend)

Divide without Remainder

Let’s say you need to divide but don’t want to have the remainder in the result (that decimals in the result). For this, you have one more specific function, which is QUOTIENT.

QUOTIENT divides but returns the result without remainder.

In the above example, other methods return 13.33 in the result, but the QUOTIENT returns 13, which is a whole number (without any decimals).

Use Divide to Calculate Percentage

You can also use the divide to get the percentage. Once you divide, you need to change the format of the cells from number to percentage.

In the above example, 34 is the dividend, and 130 is the divisor, and when you divide the formula returns 0.2615384615, and when you apply the percentage format, it converts it into 26.15%.

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