Find longest string with criteria

Find longest string with criteria

Generic formula 

{=INDEX(rng,MATCH(MAX(LEN(rng)*(rng2=criteria)),LEN(rng),0))}

Related formulas 

Find longest string in column

Get information corresponding to max value

Position of max value in list

Explanation

To find the longest string in a range with criteria, you can use an array formula based on INDEX, MATCH, LEN and MAX. In the example shown, the formula in F6 is:

{=INDEX(names,MATCH(MAX(LEN(names)*(class=F5)),LEN(names),0))}

Where "names" is the named range C5:C14, and class is the named range B5:B14.

Note: this is an array formula and must be entered with control + shift + enter.

How this formula works

The core of this formula is the MATCH function, which locates the position of the longest string using supplied criteria:

MATCH(MAX(LEN(names)*(class=F5)),LEN(names),0)

Note MATCH is set up to perform an exact match by supplying zero for match type. For lookup value, we have:

LEN(names)*(class=F5)

The LEN function returns an array of results (lengths), one for each name in the list where class="A" from cell F5 :

{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0}

Note this effectively filters out all of Class B.

The MAX function then returns the largest value, 8.

To construct a lookup array, we use the same approach:

LEN(names)*(class=F5)

And get the same result:

{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0}

After LEN and MAX run, we have a MATCH formula with these values:

MATCH(8,{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0},0))

MATCH then returns the position of 8 in the list, 3.

Finally, this value goes into INDEX like this:

=INDEX(names,3)

and INDEX dutifully returns the value in the 3rd position in names, "Jonathan".

Find longest string with criteria

Generic formula 

{=INDEX(rng,MATCH(MAX(LEN(rng)*(rng2=criteria)),LEN(rng),0))}

Related formulas 

Find longest string in column

Get information corresponding to max value

Position of max value in list

Explanation

To find the longest string in a range with criteria, you can use an array formula based on INDEX, MATCH, LEN and MAX. In the example shown, the formula in F6 is:

{=INDEX(names,MATCH(MAX(LEN(names)*(class=F5)),LEN(names),0))}

Where "names" is the named range C5:C14, and class is the named range B5:B14.

Note: this is an array formula and must be entered with control + shift + enter.

How this formula works

The core of this formula is the MATCH function, which locates the position of the longest string using supplied criteria:

MATCH(MAX(LEN(names)*(class=F5)),LEN(names),0)

Note MATCH is set up to perform an exact match by supplying zero for match type. For lookup value, we have:

LEN(names)*(class=F5)

The LEN function returns an array of results (lengths), one for each name in the list where class="A" from cell F5 :

{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0}

Note this effectively filters out all of Class B.

The MAX function then returns the largest value, 8.

To construct a lookup array, we use the same approach:

LEN(names)*(class=F5)

And get the same result:

{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0}

After LEN and MAX run, we have a MATCH formula with these values:

MATCH(8,{5;6;8;6;6;0;0;0;0;0},0))

MATCH then returns the position of 8 in the list, 3.

Finally, this value goes into INDEX like this:

=INDEX(names,3)

and INDEX dutifully returns the value in the 3rd position in names, "Jonathan".