← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

The COUNTA function

COUNTA counts every cell in a range that is not empty, including text. Use it to count survey responses. COUNT only counts numbers.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 14, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 19

Understanding The COUNTA function in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: Survey answers are text, and COUNTA counts text cells that are not empty. Filled cells plus empty cells equals the total number of cells. 30 - 24 = 6 empty cells.

Common mistakes: Column A holds names, which are text. COUNT only counts numbers, so it would return 0. Use =COUNTA(A2:A100) to count the responses. The closing bracket is missing, so the formula is not complete. It should be =COUNTA(A2:A100).

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 261–300) and word search (Modules 261–324).

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Learning
Duo
A column of survey answers contains the words Yes and No. Which function counts how many answers there are?
=COUNTA(A2:A100)=COUNT(A2:A100)
Matches
=COUNT(B2:B50) on a column of text answers like Yes and No
↓
COUNT only counts numbers, so it returns 0 for text answers. It should be =COUNTA(B2:B50).
Applying
Meanings
Term
=COUNTA(A2:A100)
Meaning
COUNTA counts every cell in a range that is not empty, including text. Use it to count survey responses. COUNT only counts numbers.
Practice
=COUNTA(A2:A9)-COUNT(A2:A9)
Testing
Gaps
=(A2:A100)
Check Answer
Spots
1D2: =COUNT(A2:A100)
2D3: =COUNTBLANK(A2:A100)

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Quick Questions

1. A column of survey answers contains the words Yes and No. Which function counts how many answers there are?
A. =COUNT(A2:A100)
B. =COUNTA(A2:A100) ✓
COUNTA counts non-empty cells, including text. COUNT only counts numbers, so it would return 0 for Yes and No.
2. Which statement about COUNTA is correct?
A. It counts every cell that is not empty, including text ✓
B. It counts only the cells that contain numbers
COUNTA stands for count all. Text, numbers and dates all count as long as the cell is not empty. Counting only numbers is what COUNT does.
3. Cells A2:A6 hold: Ava, Liam, (empty), Mia, Noah. What does =COUNTA(A2:A6) return?
A. 4 ✓
B. 5
The range has 5 cells, but one is empty. COUNTA skips empty cells, so the answer is 4.
4. Cells B2:B5 hold the text Low, High, Medium, High. What does =COUNT(B2:B5) return?
A. 0 ✓
B. 4
COUNT only counts numbers. These cells all hold text, so COUNT returns 0. COUNTA would return 4.
5. You want to know how many students replied to a survey. Which formula is the best choice for a column of names?
A. =SUM(A2:A100)
B. =COUNTA(A2:A100) ✓
SUM adds numbers and cannot add up names. COUNTA counts how many cells have a response in them.

Match the Pairs

=COUNTA(A2:A100) → Counts every cell in A2:A100 that is not empty, including text and numbers
=COUNTBLANK(C2:C100) → Counts how many cells in C2:C100 are empty
Count how many students typed an answer in a column of survey responses, even though the answers are words → =COUNTA(B2:B50)
COUNT only counts numbers, so it is the right choice for counting numeric scores in a range → =COUNT(D2:D50)
=COUNT(B2:B50) on a column of text answers like Yes and No → COUNT only counts numbers, so it returns 0 for text answers. It should be =COUNTA(B2:B50).
=COUNTA(A1:A100) to count survey responses when A1 holds the heading Name → The range includes the heading in A1, so the answer is one too high. It should start at A2: =COUNTA(A2:A100).

Key Term

=COUNTA(A2:A100)
COUNTA counts every cell in a range that is not empty, including text. Use it to count survey responses. COUNT only counts numbers.

Fill in the Blanks

1. =COUNTA(A2:A100)
Hint: Type the function name that counts every cell that is not empty, including text.
2. =COUNTA(A2:A100)
Hint: Type the symbol that joins the first and last cell to make a range.
3. =COUNT(B2:B30)
Hint: Type the function that counts only cells containing numbers and ignores text.
4. =COUNTBLANK(C2:C50)
Hint: Type the function that counts the empty cells in a range, such as missing survey answers.
5. =COUNTA(A2:A100)+COUNTBLANK(A2:A100)
Hint: Type the operator that adds the filled cells and the empty cells to get the total number of cells.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A D2: =COUNT(A2:A100)
B D3: =COUNTBLANK(A2:A100)
C D4: =COUNT(B2:B100)
Line A — Column A holds names, which are text. COUNT only counts numbers, so it would return 0. Use =COUNTA(A2:A100) to count the responses.
Question 2
A A1: Name
B B1: Age
C D1: Total responses
D D2: =COUNTA(A2:A100
Line D — The closing bracket is missing, so the formula is not complete. It should be =COUNTA(A2:A100).
Question 3
A // Answers are in A2:A50
B =COUNTA(A2-A50)
C // Counts every non-empty cell
Line B — A range uses a colon, not a minus sign. A2-A50 would subtract two cells. It should be =COUNTA(A2:A50).
Question 4
A // Count blank survey cells
B =COUNTEMPTY(C2:C100)
C =COUNTA(C2:C100)
Line B — There is no COUNTEMPTY function in spreadsheets. The function that counts empty cells is COUNTBLANK, so it should be =COUNTBLANK(C2:C100).
Question 5
A COUNTA(B2:B30)
B =COUNT(C2:C30)
C =COUNTBLANK(B2:B30)
Line A — A formula must start with an equals sign. Without it the cell just shows text. It should be =COUNTA(B2:B30).

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