XLOOKUP function in Excel - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

📊 Formula Result

intermediate

What is the result of this XLOOKUP formula?

Given the table:

Product | Price
Apple | 1.2
Banana | 0.5
Cherry | 2.0

What is the output of the formula =XLOOKUP("Banana", A2:A4, B2:B4)?

A Banana

B 0.5

C #N/A

D 1.2

💡 Hint

XLOOKUP finds the matching value in the lookup array and returns the corresponding value from the return array.

The formula looks for "Banana" in A2:A4 and returns the price from B2:B4. Banana's price is 0.5.

❓ Function Choice

intermediate

Which XLOOKUP formula returns "Not found" if the item is missing?

You want to find the price of "Orange" in the list below. If "Orange" is not found, the formula should return "Not found".

Product | Price
Apple | 1.2
Banana | 0.5
Cherry | 2.0

Which formula does this correctly?

A =XLOOKUP("Orange", A2:A4, B2:B4, "Not found")

B =XLOOKUP("Orange", A2:A4, B2:B4)

C =XLOOKUP("Orange", A2:A4, B2:B4, 0)

D =XLOOKUP("Orange", A2:A4, B2:B4, NA())

💡 Hint

The fourth argument in XLOOKUP is the value to return if no match is found.

Option A uses "Not found" as the not found value, so it returns that text if Orange is missing.

📊 Formula Result

advanced

What is the output of this XLOOKUP with approximate match?

Given the table:

Score | Grade
0 | F
60 | D
70 | C
80 | B
90 | A

What is the result of =XLOOKUP(75, A2:A6, B2:B6, "No grade", 1)?

A B

B No grade

C C

D D

💡 Hint

The 5th argument '1' means approximate match, looking for the next smaller value.

75 is between 70 and 80. With approximate match 1, XLOOKUP returns the grade for 70, which is C.

🎯 Scenario

advanced

You want to find the last matching value using XLOOKUP. Which formula works?

You have a list of dates and sales amounts. You want to find the sales amount for the last date that matches "2024-01-15".

Which XLOOKUP formula returns the last matching sales amount?

A =XLOOKUP("2024-01-15", A2:A10, B2:B10, "Not found", 1, 1)

B =XLOOKUP("2024-01-15", A2:A10, B2:B10, "Not found", -1, 1)

C =XLOOKUP("2024-01-15", A2:A10, B2:B10, "Not found", 0, 1)

D =XLOOKUP("2024-01-15", A2:A10, B2:B10, "Not found", 0, -1)

💡 Hint

The 6th argument controls search direction: -1 searches from last to first.

Option D uses exact match (0) and reverse search (-1) to find the last matching value.

❓ data_analysis

expert

How many items does this XLOOKUP formula return?

Given the table:

Item | Category
Pen | Office
Book | Office
Apple| Food
Milk | Food

What is the number of items returned by this formula?

=XLOOKUP({"Office","Food"}, B2:B5, A2:A5)

A 2

B 4

C 1

D #VALUE! error

💡 Hint

XLOOKUP with an array lookup value returns an array of results, one for each lookup value.

The formula looks up "Office" and "Food" separately and returns the first matching item for each category, so 2 items total.

Practice

1. What does the XLOOKUP function do in Excel?

easy

A. It creates a chart from data.

B. It adds up all numbers in a column.

C. It finds a value in a range and returns a corresponding value from another range.

D. It sorts data alphabetically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of XLOOKUP

   XLOOKUP searches for a value in one range and returns a matching value from another range.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   The other options describe creating charts, adding up numbers, or sorting data, which are different Excel functions unrelated to XLOOKUP.

3. Final Answer:

   It finds a value in a range and returns a corresponding value from another range. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   XLOOKUP finds and returns matching values [OK]

Hint: XLOOKUP matches a value and returns related data [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing XLOOKUP with SUM or SORT functions
• Thinking XLOOKUP creates charts
• Assuming XLOOKUP only works with numbers

2. Which of these is the correct syntax for the XLOOKUP function?

easy

A. XLOOKUP(return_array, lookup_value, lookup_array)

B. XLOOKUP(lookup_value, return_array, lookup_array)

C. XLOOKUP(lookup_array, lookup_value, return_array)

D. XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall XLOOKUP syntax

   The correct order is lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, then optional arguments.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   Only XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode]) follows this correct order and includes optional parameters correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode]) -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax order = XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode]) [OK]

Hint: Remember: lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array order [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping lookup_array and return_array
• Omitting required arguments
• Using wrong argument order

3. Given the table below, what will =XLOOKUP(102, A2:A5, B2:B5, "Not found") return?

ID	Name
101	Alice
102	Bob
103	Charlie
104	Diana

medium

A. Alice

B. Bob

C. Not found

D. Charlie

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify lookup_value and lookup_array

   Lookup value is 102, lookup array is A2:A5 containing IDs 101, 102, 103, 104.

2. Step 2: Find matching value and return corresponding name

   102 matches second row, so return value from B2:B5 second row is 'Bob'.

3. Final Answer:

   Bob -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Lookup 102 returns Bob [OK]

Hint: Match lookup value in first column, return from second [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Returning wrong row's value
• Confusing lookup and return arrays
• Expecting 'Not found' when value exists

4. What is wrong with this formula? =XLOOKUP(105, A2:A5, B2:B5) given the same table as above.

medium

A. It will return an error because 105 is not found and no if_not_found argument is given.

B. The lookup_array and return_array are reversed.

C. The formula syntax is missing parentheses.

D. It will return the last value in B2:B5 by default.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check if lookup_value exists in lookup_array

   105 is not in A2:A5 (101-104), so no match found.

2. Step 2: Understand default behavior without if_not_found

   Without the optional if_not_found argument, XLOOKUP returns #N/A error if no match.

3. Final Answer:

   It will return an error because 105 is not found and no if_not_found argument is given. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   No match without if_not_found causes error [OK]

Hint: Add if_not_found to avoid errors when no match [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming it returns last value by default
• Thinking syntax is incorrect
• Swapping lookup and return arrays

5. You want to find the price of a product by its code in column A and return the price from column C. If the product code is not found, you want to show "Price not available". Which formula correctly does this using XLOOKUP?

hard

A. =XLOOKUP(E2, A2:A10, C2:C10, "Price not available")

B. =XLOOKUP(A2:A10, E2, C2:C10, "Price not available")

C. =XLOOKUP(E2, C2:C10, A2:A10, "Price not available")

D. =XLOOKUP(E2, A2:A10, C2:C10)

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify lookup_value and arrays

   Lookup value is in E2 (product code), lookup array is A2:A10 (product codes), return array is C2:C10 (prices).

2. Step 2: Check for if_not_found argument

   =XLOOKUP(E2, A2:A10, C2:C10, "Price not available") includes "Price not available" for missing codes, fulfilling the requirement.

3. Final Answer:

   =XLOOKUP(E2, A2:A10, C2:C10, "Price not available") -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct lookup and return arrays with if_not_found [OK]

Hint: Use if_not_found to show message when no match [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping lookup and return arrays
• Omitting if_not_found argument
• Using wrong cell references