Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 50%

An analyst working in Google Sheets wants to calculate the sum of a range based on several conditions. Which syntax should the analyst use?

Rationale

{=SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criterion1, [criteria_range2, criterion2, ...])}

The SUMIFS function in Google Sheets is specifically designed to calculate the sum of a range based on multiple criteria, making it the ideal choice for this task. It allows the analyst to specify a sum range and one or more criteria ranges with their corresponding conditions.

A ({=COUNTIF(range, criterion)) YOUR ANSWER

This function counts the number of cells that meet a single criterion within a specified range, rather than summing values based on conditions. Therefore, it is not suitable for calculating sums based on multiple conditions as required by the question.

B ({=SUMIF(range, criterion, sum_range)) YOUR ANSWER

While SUMIF does calculate sums based on a single criterion, it does not support multiple conditions. The question specifically asks for a syntax that accommodates several conditions, making this choice inadequate.

C ({=SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criterion1, [criteria_range2, criterion2, ...])) CORRECT

This function is the correct answer as it allows for the summation of values in a specified sum range while applying one or more criteria across different ranges. It effectively meets the requirement of summing based on multiple conditions.

D ({=COUNTIFS(criteria_range1, criterion1, [criteria_range2, criterion2, ...])) YOUR ANSWER

The COUNTIFS function counts the number of cells that meet multiple criteria across several ranges. However, like COUNTIF, it does not sum values; instead, it focuses on counting, which does not align with the objective of calculating a sum.

Conclusion

To calculate the sum of a range based on several conditions in Google Sheets, the SUMIFS function is the most appropriate choice. It allows analysts to apply multiple criteria effectively, facilitating complex calculations that go beyond simple counting or single-condition summations. This capability is essential for data analysis tasks requiring nuanced aggregation of information based on specific criteria.

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