Excel offers a variety of built-in financial functions to perform calculations related to investments, loans, and cash flows. Below is a concise overview of key functions:
1. FV (Future Value): Calculates the future value of an investment based on periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.
2. PV (Present Value): Determines the present value of an investment, which is the current worth of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specified rate of return.
3. NPV (Net Present Value): Computes the net present value of an investment by discounting a series of future cash flows back to the present using a specified discount rate.
4. IRR (Internal Rate of Return): Calculates the internal rate of return for a series of cash flows, representing the discount rate that makes the NPV of the cash flows equal to zero.
5. PMT (Payment): Calculates the payment for a loan based on constant payments and a constant interest rate.
6. RATE (Interest Rate): Finds the interest rate per period of an annuity.
7. NPER (Number of Periods): Determines the number of periods for an investment based on periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.
8. IPMT (Interest Payment): Calculates the interest payment for a given period of an investment.
9. PPMT (Principal Payment): Calculates the principal payment for a given period of an investment.
10. XNPV (Excel Net Present Value): Similar to NPV but accounts for irregular, non-periodic cash flows.
11. XIRR (Excel Internal Rate of Return): Similar to IRR but handles irregular cash flows and dates.
These functions are essential for financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting. Always ensure inputs like rates and periods are consistent (e.g., annual vs. monthly). For accurate results, use absolute cell references and verify data entries.
Table of Contents
- Part 1: OnlineExamMaker AI Quiz Maker – Make A Free Quiz in Minutes
- Part 2: 20 Excel Financial Functions Quiz Questions & Answers
- Part 3: OnlineExamMaker AI Question Generator: Generate Questions for Any Topic

Part 1: OnlineExamMaker AI Quiz Maker – Make A Free Quiz in Minutes
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Part 2: 20 Excel Financial Functions Quiz Questions & Answers
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1. Question: What does the Excel function FV calculate?
A) Present Value
B) Future Value
C) Net Present Value
D) Internal Rate of Return
Answer: B
Explanation: The FV function calculates the future value of an investment based on a constant interest rate, assuming periodic, constant payments and a constant interest rate.
2. Question: Which function is used to calculate the periodic payment for a loan?
A) PV
B) FV
C) PMT
D) RATE
Answer: C
Explanation: The PMT function calculates the payment for a loan based on constant payments and a constant interest rate, helping determine monthly or periodic installments.
3. Question: What does the PV function represent in Excel?
A) Future Value
B) Present Value
C) Payment Amount
D) Interest Rate
Answer: B
Explanation: The PV function calculates the present value of an investment or loan, which is the current worth of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specified rate of return.
4. Question: How is the NPV function typically used?
A) To calculate future payments
B) To determine the net present value of an investment
C) To find the internal rate of return
D) To compute the rate of an annuity
Answer: B
Explanation: The NPV function calculates the net present value of an investment by discounting future cash flows to the present using a discount rate, helping assess profitability.
5. Question: What is the primary purpose of the IRR function?
A) To calculate net present value
B) To find the internal rate of return of an investment
C) To determine future value
D) To compute periodic payments
Answer: B
Explanation: The IRR function calculates the internal rate of return, which is the discount rate that makes the net present value of all cash flows from a project equal to zero.
6. Question: In the RATE function, what does it solve for?
A) The number of periods
B) The interest rate per period
C) The present value
D) The future value
Answer: B
Explanation: The RATE function returns the interest rate per period of an annuity, such as a loan or investment, based on a series of equal payments and the number of periods.
7. Question: Which Excel function calculates the number of periods for an investment?
A) NPER
B) PMT
C) FV
D) PV
Answer: A
Explanation: The NPER function determines the number of periods required for an investment to reach a specified value at a given rate and payment.
8. Question: What does the XNPV function account for that the standard NPV does not?
A) Irregular cash flows
B) Constant interest rates
C) Future values only
D) Periodic payments
Answer: A
Explanation: The XNPV function calculates the net present value for a schedule of cash flows that are not necessarily periodic, unlike the standard NPV which assumes equal timing.
9. Question: For the Excel function IPMT, what does it calculate?
A) Total payment amount
B) Interest payment for a given period
C) Principal payment
D) Future value
Answer: B
Explanation: The IPMT function calculates the interest payment for a specific period of an investment or loan, based on constant payments and interest rates.
10. Question: What is the PPMT function used for?
A) Calculating the present value
B) Determining the principal payment for a given period
C) Finding the internal rate of return
D) Computing net present value
Answer: B
Explanation: The PPMT function calculates the principal payment for a specified period of a loan or investment, helping break down payments into interest and principal components.
11. Question: In Excel, how does the EFFECT function work?
A) Converts nominal interest rate to effective interest rate
B) Calculates future value
C) Determines payment amounts
D) Finds the number of periods
Answer: A
Explanation: The EFFECT function converts a nominal interest rate to an effective interest rate, accounting for compounding periods, which is useful for accurate financial comparisons.
12. Question: What does the NOMINAL function calculate?
A) Effective interest rate
B) Nominal interest rate from an effective rate
C) Present value
D) Internal rate of return
Answer: B
Explanation: The NOMINAL function converts an effective interest rate to a nominal interest rate based on the number of compounding periods, aiding in financial analysis.
13. Question: Which function is best for calculating the yield to maturity of a bond?
A) YIELD
B) IRR
C) NPV
D) FV
Answer: A
Explanation: The YIELD function calculates the yield to maturity for a bond, considering the settlement date, maturity date, coupon rate, and other factors.
14. Question: What is the purpose of the MIRR function?
A) To calculate the modified internal rate of return
B) To find net present value
C) To determine future value
D) To compute payment amounts
Answer: A
Explanation: The MIRR function calculates the modified internal rate of return for a series of periodic cash flows, assuming reinvestment at a different rate than the cost of capital.
15. Question: In the DURATION function, what does it measure?
A) The time until a bond matures
B) The duration of an investment in years
C) The present value of cash flows
D) The interest rate
Answer: B
Explanation: The DURATION function measures the weighted average time until cash flows from a security are received, expressed in years, which helps assess interest rate risk.
16. Question: What does the TBILLPRICE function calculate?
A) The price of a Treasury bill
B) The future value of a bond
C) The net present value
D) The internal rate of return
Answer: A
Explanation: The TBILLPRICE function calculates the price per $100 face value for a Treasury bill, based on the settlement date, maturity date, and discount rate.
17. Question: How is the SLN function used in Excel?
A) To calculate straight-line depreciation
B) To find the internal rate of return
C) To compute net present value
D) To determine periodic payments
Answer: A
Explanation: The SLN function calculates the straight-line depreciation of an asset for a single period, providing a simple way to allocate depreciation evenly over time.
18. Question: What does the SYD function compute?
A) Sum-of-the-years’-digits depreciation
B) Future value
C) Present value
D) Interest payments
Answer: A
Explanation: The SYD function calculates depreciation using the sum-of-the-years’-digits method, which allocates higher depreciation in earlier years of an asset’s life.
19. Question: In Excel, the DB function is used for what?
A) Declining balance depreciation
B) Net present value calculation
C) Internal rate of return
D) Payment amounts
Answer: A
Explanation: The DB function computes depreciation using the declining balance method, which applies a fixed rate to the reducing book value of an asset each period.
20. Question: What is the purpose of the COUPNCD function?
A) To calculate the next coupon date after the settlement date
B) To find the yield of a bond
C) To determine the present value
D) To compute future cash flows
Answer: A
Explanation: The COUPNCD function returns the next coupon date after the settlement date for a security, which is useful for bond and investment scheduling.
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