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How to Drag a Division Formula in Excel?

Published in Excel Formulas 5 mins read

To drag a division formula in Excel, you first enter the formula in the top cell of the range where you want the results to appear, ensure any constant references use the absolute cell reference format (using the $ symbol), and then use the fill handle to copy the formula down or across.

This technique is essential for efficiently applying the same calculation across many rows or columns without manually typing it into each cell. When you drag a formula, Excel automatically adjusts the cell references based on their type (relative or absolute), which is crucial for division, especially when dividing by a fixed number.

Steps to Drag a Division Formula

Based on common Excel practices and the provided reference, here's how you can drag a division formula, particularly when dividing by a constant value in another cell:

  1. Enter the Formula:

    • Go to the cell where you want the first result of your division to appear. For example, if you want to divide values in Column A by a constant in cell C2 and show results in Column B, you would start in cell B2.
    • Type your division formula. Following the reference example, if you want to divide the number in cell A2 by the number in cell C2, you would type =A2/C2.

  2. Ensure Correct References (especially for Divisor):

    • If the number you are dividing by (the divisor) is a single cell that should remain the same for all calculations you drag, you must use absolute cell references for that cell.
    • As the reference states: "In this example, the number you want to divide by is 3, contained in cell C2. Type =A2/$C$2 in cell B2. Be sure to include a $ symbol before C and before 2 in the formula."
    • The $ symbols lock the row and column reference ($C$2) so that when you drag the formula, the reference to cell C2 doesn't change. The reference to A2, however, is a relative reference, meaning it will automatically change to A3, A4, A5, and so on as you drag the formula down the column.

    Here's a simple breakdown of reference types:

    • A2 (Relative): Changes when dragged (e.g., becomes A3, B2).
    • $A$2 (Absolute): Never changes when dragged.
    • $A2 (Column Absolute, Row Relative): Column stays A, row changes (e.g., $A3).
    • A$2 (Column Relative, Row Absolute): Column changes (e.g., B$2), row stays 2.

  3. Locate the Fill Handle:

    • Select the cell containing the formula you just entered (e.g., B2).
    • Look for a small, solid square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell's border. This is the fill handle.

  4. Drag the Formula:

    • Click and hold the fill handle.
    • Drag the fill handle down the column to the last row where you want the division formula applied.
    • Release the mouse button.

Excel will automatically copy the formula down, adjusting the relative references (like A2 becoming A3, A4, etc.) but keeping the absolute references (like $C$2) fixed, performing the division for each corresponding row.

Example Walkthrough (Based on Reference)

Let's illustrate the reference example using a table:

Column A (Numbers) Column B (Result) Column C (Divisor)
10 =A2/$C$2 3
20
30
40
  • Step 1 & 2: You type =A2/$C$2 into cell B2.
  • Step 3: Select cell B2 and find the fill handle.
  • Step 4: Drag the fill handle down from B2 to B5.

The formulas in Column B will automatically update as follows:

Column A (Numbers) Column B (Result) Column C (Divisor)
10 =A2/$C$2 (3.33) 3
20 =A3/$C$2 (6.67)
30 =A4/$C$2 (10.00)
40 =A5/$C$2 (13.33)

Notice how A2 changed to A3, A4, A5, but $C$2 remained fixed for all rows because of the absolute reference.

Practical Tips

  • Double-Click Fill Handle: If you have a contiguous range of data in an adjacent column (like Column A in the example), you can often simply double-click the fill handle instead of dragging. Excel will automatically fill the formula down to the last row that has data next to it.
  • Copy and Paste: Alternatively, you can copy the cell with the formula (Ctrl+C), select the range where you want to paste it, and paste (Ctrl+V). Excel will adjust references correctly based on the paste location.
  • Dividing by a Variable: If you are dividing A2 by B2, A3 by B3, etc., you would use the formula =A2/B2 (using only relative references) and drag down. Excel will automatically adjust both references (e.g., =A3/B3, =A4/B4).

Dragging formulas using the fill handle is a fundamental and powerful Excel feature for automating calculations across your data.

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