Though that will return it as text. If you need it to be numeric then use

=--LEFT(A1)

For 2,3,4 numbers etc

=--LEFT(A1,2) subsutituting 2 for 3,4,5,6 etc as required

--
Regards
Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03

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It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-)
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"Gary's Student" wrote in message
...
If a number is in cell A1 then =LEFT(A1,1) will return its most
significant
digit.
--
Gary's Student


"Kelly O." wrote:

I am trying to find a formula that will allow me to extract only the very
first number in a cell. For example, if I have the number 123456 in cell
A2,
I would like a formula in cell A1 that will give me only the value 1; if
I
have the number 234567 in cell B2, I only want the value 2 in cell B2,
and so
on. Further, is it possible to capture more than the first number if I
need
more than that?

Thanks, Kelly