CONDITIONAL ANALYSIS · ORIGINAL EXERCISE
The wildcard rune
Count SKUs starting with "M" in A2:A7.
This quest practices Wildcards using a fictional business dataset. Read the sheet below, then enter the interactive quest to write and check your formula.
| SKU | Item | Stock | Reorder at | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB-01 | Keyboard | 24 | 10 | 60 |
| MS-02 | Mouse | 8 | 15 | 25 |
| MN-03 | Monitor | 6 | 8 | 250 |
| HC-04 | Headset | 18 | 12 | 80 |
| WB-05 | Webcam | 0 | 5 | 45 |
| DK-06 | Dock | 12 | 6 | 110 |
Hints to get you started
- * stands for any sequence of characters.
- Combine M and * in a quoted criterion.
- Use the SKU range A2:A7.
Show the worked solution
=COUNTIF(A2:A7,"M*")The criterion M* matches both MS-02 and MN-03.
Make the skill stick
After solving the task, explain what each reference does and why the formula answers the business question. Try the workbook download inside the quest to practice in your own spreadsheet app.
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