Statistical Functions
Intermediate

A running maximum: the record so far

An expanding range turns MAX into "best to date".

Task:

You track daily website sign-ups and want to see the record day as it develops. In C2:C8 give the highest daily figure up to and including each day.

Interactive Spreadsheet

Read about MIN, MAX

Hints

+5 XPno-hints bonus

Solve it on your own to keep the bonus. Each hint gets one step closer to the formula.

Variations of MIN, MAX

0/3

The same formula in the other shapes it takes at work.

  1. MAX Function (Statistical)

    The worst case, which is usually what the complaint is about.

    Core
    Beginner
  2. A running maximum: the record so far

    An expanding range turns MAX into "best to date".

    Intermediate
  3. MAXIFS: the longest wait in each queue

    The worst case for each group rather than overall.

    Intermediate

The data in this exercise

This is the grid you start with. Cell references in the task — B6, C2 — point at the row numbers and column letters below.

8 rows × 3 columns7 cells you fill in
ABC
1DaySign-upsRecord so far
2Mon120
3Tue95
4Wed160
5Thu140
6Fri210
7Sat75
8Sun180
What this exercise teachesMay contain the answer

This is the running-total trick with MAX in place of SUM: the fixed start and moving end make each row consider everything so far. The column only ever stays level or rises, which makes a new record easy to spot.