What is the output of MS-Excel function = CEILING (41.1, 3) ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (4):
The MS-Excel CEILING function, properly known as CEILING(number, significance), is a mathematical function designed to round a given number *up* to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. The first argument, 41.1, is the number to be rounded, and the second argument, 3, is the multiple to which it must be rounded. To solve this, we must identify the smallest multiple of 3 that is greater than or equal to 41.1. The multiples of 3 are 39, 42, 45, and so on. Since 41.1 is greater than 39 but less than 42, the function must round up to the next available multiple, which is 42. Therefore, the output is 42.

The incorrect option is (1):
Option 1, 39, is incorrect because it is a multiple of 3, but it is *less* than the number 41.1. The fundamental rule of the CEILING function is that it always rounds the number *away from zero* to the nearest multiple. Rounding to 39 would constitute rounding *down*. This is the operation performed by the FLOOR function, not the CEILING function. Hence, 39 is not a valid output for CEILING(41.1, 3).

The incorrect option is (2) and (3):
Options 2 and 3 both suggest the output is 41, which is incorrect for two reasons. Firstly, 41 is not a multiple of the significance argument, 3 (since 41 divided by 3 leaves a remainder of 2). The CEILING function is mathematically obligated to return a number that is perfectly divisible by the significance argument. Secondly, 41.1 is the input, and the CEILING function rounds up; 41 is numerically closer to 41.1 but fails the multiple-of-3 condition, making it an impossible output for this specific function.