The SEARCH function is used to locate the position of a substring within a string. For example, it can find the position of the letter « S » in the word « JOURNALISM. » The SEARCH function is case-insensitive, meaning it does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters.
The syntax for the SEARCH function is:
=SEARCH(find_text; within_text; [start_num])
- find_text: The text or substring you want to find.
- within_text: The text in which you want to search for the substring.
- start_num (optional): The position in the text where the search should begin. If omitted, the search starts from the first character.
Practical Examples of the SEARCH Function
Example 1:
Search for the position of « T » in cell A1 in the table below.
- Go to cell B2 and type:
=SEARCH(« T »; A1; 1)
- Press Enter.
The position of « T » in cell A1 is 3.
Example 2:
Search for the position of « MAN » in cell C1 in the table below.
- Go to cell D2 and type:
=SEARCH(« MAN »; C1; 1)S
- Press Enter.
The position of « MAN » in cell D1 is 2.