Excel Quiz Questions and Answers to Test Yourself
By ExcelReady TeamUpdated 5 min read
The short answer
Good Excel quiz questions check three things: the basics (cell names, references, shortcuts), what formulas return (order of operations, error values, COUNT vs COUNTA), and simple logic on a table (IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF). Answer the 12 questions below without opening Excel, then check each answer and its explanation.
Key takeaways
- Most Excel quizzes mix basics, formula results and simple logic on a small table.
- Know the order of operations: Excel multiplies and divides before it adds and subtracts.
- Learn what each error value means: #DIV/0!, #N/A, #NAME? and #VALUE! come up often.
- COUNTIF and IF questions reward exact syntax: text in double quotes, operators inside the quotes.
- Any question you get wrong points to the lesson to practise next.
On this page+
These 12 Excel quiz questions test what most beginner and job-screening quizzes check: the basics of the grid, what formulas return, and simple logic on a table. Each question has the answer and a one-line reason, so you learn from the ones you miss. Use it before a job test, a course check or an interview, or just to find out where your gaps are.
How to use this Excel quiz#
Answer every question on paper or in your head first, then read the answers. Don't open Excel until the end. That's closer to a real quiz, where you often have to know a result without trying it.
Give yourself one point per correct answer. The section at the end tells you what your score means and what to practise next. Questions 9 to 12 use the small sales table below, so keep it in view.
Part 1: Excel basics (questions 1 to 4)#
1. What is the name of the cell in column C, row 5? A) 5C B) C5 C) R5C D) C:5
Answer: B, C5. A cell's name is its column letter followed by its row number.
2. Which character must every formula start with? A) + B) # C) = D) @
Answer: C, the equals sign. Without =, Excel stores what you type as text or a number, not a formula.
3. You copy =$A$1*B2 from C2 down to C3. What does the formula in C3 become?
Answer: =$A$1*B3. The $ signs make A1 an absolute reference, so it stays fixed. B2 is a relative reference, so it moves down one row with the formula. The guide to cell references explained covers this in detail.
4. What is the shortcut to copy the top cell of a selection down into the cells below it?
Answer: Ctrl+D on Windows, ⌘D on a Mac. The D stands for Fill Down. Ctrl+R (⌘R on a Mac) fills right.
Part 2: What does the formula return? (questions 5 to 8)#
5. What does =10+2*3 return?
A) 36 B) 16 C) 15 D) 60
Answer: B, 16. Excel multiplies before it adds, so it works out 2×3 = 6 first, then 10 + 6. To add first, use brackets: =(10+2)*3 returns 36.
6. A cell shows #DIV/0!. What happened?
Answer: the formula divided by zero or by an empty cell. Check the cell you divide by, or catch the error with IFERROR.
7. A VLOOKUP shows #N/A. What is the most likely reason?
Answer: the value you searched for isn't in the first column of the table. Common causes are a typo, an extra space, or a number stored as text.
8. What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?
Answer: COUNT counts only cells that contain numbers. COUNTA counts every cell that isn't empty, including text. On a column of names, COUNT returns 0 and COUNTA returns the number of names.
Part 3: Logic and counting on a table (questions 9 to 12)#
Questions 9 to 12 use this table in A1:D7:
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name | Team | Sales | Target |
| 2 | Ana | North | 5,200 | 5,000 |
| 3 | Ben | South | 4,100 | 4,500 |
| 4 | Chloe | North | 6,300 | 6,000 |
| 5 | Dev | East | 3,900 | 4,000 |
| 6 | Emma | South | 5,500 | 5,000 |
| 7 | Farid | North | 4,800 | 5,000 |
9. Which formula counts the people in the North team?
A) =COUNT(B2:B7,"North") B) =COUNTIF(B2:B7,North) C) =COUNTIF(B2:B7,"North") D) =COUNTIF("North",B2:B7)
Answer: C, and it returns 3. COUNTIF takes the range first, then the criteria, and text criteria need double quotes. Option B gives #NAME?. The COUNTIF function guide lists more criteria forms.
10. Write a formula for E2 that shows "Met" if Ana's sales reached her target, and "Missed" if not.
Answer: =IF(C2>=D2,"Met","Missed"), which returns Met. Use >= because "reached" includes being exactly on target. Filled down to E7, it shows Met for Ana, Chloe and Emma. The IF function guide explains the three parts.
11. What does =COUNTIF(C2:C7,">5000") return?
Answer: 3 (5,200, 6,300 and 5,500). The operator goes inside the quotes with the number. No one has exactly 5,000 in Sales, so ">=5000" would also return 3 here.
12. Which formula adds up the North team's sales, and what is the result?
Answer: =SUMIF(B2:B7,"North",C2:C7), which returns 16,300 (5,200 + 6,300 + 4,800). SUMIF checks the Team column, then adds the matching cells in the Sales column.
What your quiz score means#
Count your correct answers and use this as a rough guide:
| Score | What it means | Practise next |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | The grid and formula basics need work | Cell references, fill shortcuts, first formulas |
| 6 to 9 | Basics are fine, logic needs practice | IF, COUNTIF and SUMIF |
| 10 to 12 | Ready for harder questions | Lookups, SUMIFS and mock tests |
If you scored well, move on to the Excel practice test with answers, which has 15 questions on one sales table. For worked examples in the same style, see these Excel test questions and answers.
Quiz questions for interviews#
Interviewers often ask the same topics as a quiz, but out loud: "What's the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?" or "How would you flag sales below target?" Practise saying each answer in one or two sentences, then naming the formula. The Excel interview questions guide covers the most common ones, and the Excel interview questions for freshers focus on entry-level roles. Customer-facing jobs often test the same basics; see the Excel skills for customer service.
To find your level before a real test, take the 12-question Excel level test. For a timed check like an employer screening, try the Excel screening quiz.
Practise it#
Knowing the answer is not the same as typing it fast. Try question 10 in the exercise on this page, then practise the IF function in a live spreadsheet and practise COUNTIF with text and number criteria. When you're ready to work with no hints, take the basics skill check: you fix, calculate, fill and format a supplier order on your own.
Try it yourself
This is a live spreadsheet. Type the formula in the green cell and press Enter.
Question 10, for real: in E2, write an IF formula that shows Met if Ana's Sales (C2) are at least her Target (D2), and Missed if not.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Result | |||||
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| 10 |
Tip: IF needs a test, a value if true and a value if false: =IF(test,"Met","Missed"). Use >= for at least.
Practise this in a lesson
Frequently asked questions
What kind of questions are in an Excel quiz?
Most quizzes ask about cell references, shortcuts, what a formula returns, error values and common functions such as SUM, IF, COUNTIF and VLOOKUP. Some ask you to type a formula into a real sheet.
How do I prepare for an Excel quiz for a job?
Practise in a real spreadsheet, not just by reading. Focus on SUM, AVERAGE, IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF, VLOOKUP and absolute references, and time yourself on short tasks.
What is a good score on an Excel quiz?
There is no single pass mark; each employer sets its own. On the 12 questions here, 10 or more correct means your basics are solid and you can move on to lookups and conditional totals.
Are Excel quiz questions multiple choice?
Many are, especially for definitions and shortcuts. Others show a formula and ask for the result, or give you a live sheet and check the formula you type.