MODE Function (Gnumeric)

MODE gives the most frequently repeated numeric value. The current manual specifies #N/A when every number appears only once.

=MODE(number1,number2,...)

number1 — First numeric value or range containing observations.

number2, ... — Further numbers or ranges to include in the frequency count.

Version and locale scope: The release-scoped function registry confirms MODE within the Gnumeric 1.12.62 standard public function set (September 2026). The Gnumeric manual documents the syntax shown here but is a continuously updated reference, not a frozen 1.12.62 manual. The function’s original introduction version has not been established. The formulas below use comma-separated English-locale syntax; installed regional settings or imported files may display other separators. Availability can depend on installed plugins and builds for Gnumeric functions in general.

Create a worksheet and enter numeric data into the following eight cells. Keep these as real numbers, not quoted text.

All eight observations total 40 and average 5. Keep the reference B2:B9 consistent across the example.

1. Enter the values in the indicated cells in Gnumeric.
2. Select a separate blank result cell outside the input range.
3. Enter this formula exactly as written for the sample input:

=MODE(B2:B9)

Expected result: 4. The number 4 occurs three times, 5 occurs twice, and every other number appears once. Therefore 4 is the unique mode.

Input interpretation: A single numeric mode is unambiguous in the chosen dataset; no tie rule is assumed in the computed result.

After reproducing the basic result, enter:

=COUNTIF(B2:B9,MODE(B2:B9))

Expected result: 3. After finding the mode, COUNTIF reports how frequently it occurs. Three occurrences make it the strongest repeat in this sample.

This is a teaching example, not an assertion that the formula has been executed in this software version.

=MODE(2,2,3,3,3)

Independently calculated expected result: 3. Here 3 appears three times, whereas 2 appears twice. The mode is a frequency result, not the largest number or an average. Use this check to verify which observations were actually included.

1. If all numeric values are unique, Gnumeric explicitly documents #N/A; check for actual repeats.
2. The official reference says strings and empty cells are ignored. A category such as a product name needs a different frequency-count approach.
3. When two numbers tie for the highest frequency, MODE is documented as the first most common number; tie-selection and portability need native tests.

If the output differs, first confirm the exact cell contents and range boundaries; use an independent small dataset to isolate a formula issue from imported formats, hidden characters or missing values. Keep result cells outside the input ranges to avoid accidental circular references. Do not hide an error with IFERROR until you know which input is responsible.

The manual marks MODE Excel compatible and separately documents MODE.MULT for multiple modes. Do not confuse those two outputs, particularly on tied data.

Gnumeric reference coverage is not a claim that every formula behaves identically in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Apple Numbers or other spreadsheet apps. Review the receiving application’s argument conventions, cell types and version-specific behavior before relying on workbook portability.

COUNT · AVERAGE · IF · SUM

• Official Gnumeric Statistics function reference — MODE (checked 2026-10-11).
• Gnumeric official function catalog (checked 2026-10-11; its headline/row totals are not treated as the canonical release count).
• Gnumeric 1.12.62 official release notes (release dated September 2026, checked 2026-10-11).

The syntax and behaviour are based on the Gnumeric references cited above. The sample calculations were independently checked; they are expected results, not outputs observed in Gnumeric. Test locale-sensitive text conversion and imported files in your own installation. View the example-check record.

Official MODE reference · Editorial standards