Which function would you use to find the smallest number in a set of values in Excel?

The function used to find the smallest number in a set of values in Excel is MIN(). This function is specifically designed to evaluate a range of numbers or cell references and return the smallest value among them.

When you use the MIN() function, you can either input individual numbers, cell ranges, or a mix of both. For example, =MIN(A1:A10) would return the smallest number from the values in cells A1 through A10. This capability makes it a fundamental tool for data analysis in Excel, particularly when you need to quickly assess minimum values within a dataset.

The other options provided do not exist in Excel. LOWEST() and SMALLEST() are not recognized functions in Excel, so they cannot be used to find minimum values. DECREMENT() is not a function at all within Excel; thus, it does not serve a purpose related to finding the smallest value. Understanding the correct function to use for this task is essential for efficient data management and analysis in Excel.