VLOOKUP function in Google Sheets - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

📊 Formula Result

intermediate

What is the output of this VLOOKUP formula?

Given the table below in cells A1:B4:

A1: Product
A2: Apple
A3: Banana
A4: Cherry

B1: Price
B2: 1.2
B3: 0.5
B4: 2.0

What is the result of the formula =VLOOKUP("Banana", A2:B4, 2, FALSE)?

A 0.5

B Banana

C #N/A

D 1.2

💡 Hint

Look for the value in the first column and return the value from the second column.

VLOOKUP searches for "Banana" in the first column of the range A2:B4. It finds it in A3 and returns the value from the second column in the same row, which is 0.5.

❓ Function Choice

intermediate

Which VLOOKUP formula returns the price of 'Cherry'?

Using the same table as above, which formula correctly returns the price of 'Cherry'?

A =VLOOKUP("Cherry", A2:B4, 1, FALSE)

B =VLOOKUP("Cherry", A2:B4, 2, FALSE)

C =VLOOKUP("Cherry", B2:A4, 2, FALSE)

D =VLOOKUP("Cherry", A1:B4, 2, TRUE)

💡 Hint

Remember the lookup range must include the lookup column first and the column index must be correct.

Option B correctly looks up 'Cherry' in the first column of A2:B4 and returns the second column value with exact match (FALSE).

📊 Formula Result

advanced

What is the output of this VLOOKUP with approximate match?

Given the table:

A1: Score
A2: 0
A3: 50
A4: 70
A5: 90

B1: Grade
B2: F
B3: C
B4: B
B5: A

What is the result of =VLOOKUP(85, A2:B5, 2, TRUE)?

A B

B C

C A

D #N/A

💡 Hint

With approximate match TRUE, VLOOKUP finds the largest value less than or equal to the lookup value.

85 is between 70 and 90, so VLOOKUP returns the grade for 70, which is 'B'.

🎯 Scenario

advanced

Why does this VLOOKUP formula return #N/A?

You have this table:

A1: ID
A2: 101
A3: 102
A4: 103

B1: Name
B2: John
B3: Jane
B4: Joe

You use the formula =VLOOKUP(104, A2:B4, 2, FALSE).
Why does it return #N/A?

A Because the range A2:B4 is missing headers

B Because the column index 2 is invalid

C Because 104 is not found in the first column of the range

D Because FALSE is not a valid argument for VLOOKUP

💡 Hint

Check if the lookup value exists in the first column of the range.

VLOOKUP with FALSE requires an exact match. Since 104 is not in the first column, it returns #N/A.

❓ data_analysis

expert

How many items will this VLOOKUP formula find?

Given the table:

A1: Item
A2: Pen
A3: Pencil
A4: Pen
A5: Eraser

B1: Price
B2: 1.5
B3: 0.5
B4: 1.7
B5: 0.8

What value will =VLOOKUP("Pen", A2:B5, 2, FALSE) return?

A 1.7

B #N/A

C 0.5

D 1.5

💡 Hint

VLOOKUP returns the first match it finds in the lookup column.

VLOOKUP finds the first 'Pen' in A2 and returns the corresponding price 1.5 from B2.