Final answer:
To remove the leading zero from numbers in Excel, format the cells as 'Number' or 'General' and make sure the decimal places are set appropriately. Alternatively, you can use a formula like '=VALUE(A1)' to convert text with leading zeros to numbers.
Step-by-step explanation:
To remove a leading zero from numbers in Excel, the simplest approach is to ensure the cells are formatted as a Number or General format. Here are the steps you can follow:
- Select the cells that contain the numbers with the leading zeros.
- Right-click on the selection and choose 'Format Cells.'
- In the Format Cells dialog box, under the 'Number' tab, select 'General' or 'Number' and make sure that there are no decimal places if you want a whole number, or adjust as required.
- Click 'OK' to apply the formatting.
If the numbers are stored as text with leading zeros, you could use a formula to convert the text into numbers:
- Type =VALUE(A1) in a new cell, assuming A1 contains the number with leading zero(s).
- Press Enter, and the formula will return the number without leading zeros.
- You can then drag the fill handle down or across to apply this formula to other cells as needed.