How to Divide Numbers in Microsoft Excel

The video guide shows how to divide two numbers in Excel using cell references and the forward slash '/' symbol. All divisions in Excel are written as '=<something>/<something else>' but how you refer to the cells has implications for readability and how easily the formulas can be copied. The tutorial demonstrates the simple method of relative references where the formula '=A1/B1' becomes '=A2/B2' when copied into row 2. If you copied the formula from cell C1 into D1, the columns in the formula would shift one column to the right as well to '=B1/C1'.

Often when performing divisions in Excel, you want to divide a whole column of numbers by the same divisor, such as when calculating the percentage of total revenue earned from different corporate divisions. The total revenue may be located in a separate cell such as E1. If you attempt to fill column C with the formula '=A1/E1', the formula in row 2 will reference E2. The most widely taught solution to this problem is to convert the relative reference 'E1' to an absolute reference '$E$1'. However, this does not tell users what $E$1 means and why you're dividing by it. When the divisor cannot be seen on-screen in the same window as the formula, this is particularly unhelpful.

A better method than absolute references is to give cells a meaningful name such as 'TotalRevenue'. If you select your total cell, then Define Name from the Formula Ribbon, you can give any cell a text name that can then be used in formulas.

Another way to make your divisions more comprehensible is to create them within an Excel table. In an Excel table, each cell in the current row acquires its name from the column's heading and, when you select a cell to include it in a formula, Excel automatically adds the column reference to your formula. Our divisions would then read something like '=[@[Division Sales]]/TotalRevenue)' or even '=[@[Division Sales]]/SUM([Division Sales])' if you did not wish to calculate total revenue in a separate cell.

By Ed Bolton, founder of Excel4Business Ltd. Last reviewed October 2026.