how to use the if = function in numbers?

Xenase,

The if() function actually takes three arguments:

IF(if-expression, if-true, if-false)

• if-expression: A logical expression. if-expression can contain anything as long as the expression can be evaluated as a boolean value. If the expression evaluates to a number, 0 is considered to be FALSE, and any other number is considered to be TRUE.
• if-true: The value returned if if-expression is TRUE. if-true can containany value. If if-true is omitted (there’s a comma, but no value) and if-expressionevaluates to TRUE, IF will return 0.
• if-false: An optional argument specifying the value returned if if-expression is FALSE. if-false can contain any value. If if-false is omitted (there’s a comma, but no value) and if-expressionevaluates to FALSE, IF will return 0. If if-false is entirely omitted (there’s no comma after if-true) and if-expressionevaluates to FALSE, IF will return FALSE.

you are leaving the if-false portion blank.

so if you want nothing when the boolean test is false you should enter the empty string for the third argument like:

=if(A1>A2, 3, "")

or

=if(B1=B2, 1, "")

if you do not want any result when either cell is blank you can perform the test:

=if(or(isblank(B1), isblank(B2)), "", if(B1=B2, 1, ""))

Xenase,

can you tells us what you are trying to do? The more general picture? Most any logic is possible. The main question is what is the best solution. Know the actual problem helps. No need to worry about the how.

I arrived at a slightly different formula that also screens for the case where both cells are blank:

=IF(LEN(B1)×LEN(B2)=0,"",IF(B1=B2,1,""))

SG