Question

What is 'HLOOKUP'? How it is different from 'VLOOKUP'? Explain its syntax.

Hint:

HLOOKUP searches the first row of a table and returns a value from the same column. VLOOKUP searches the first column instead. Write the four-argument syntax.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understand the question:
We must define HLOOKUP, say how it differs from VLOOKUP, and write its syntax.
The official answer is 6 marks, so each of the three parts needs clear points.

Step 2: Define HLOOKUP:
HLOOKUP stands for horizontal lookup.
It searches for a value in the first row of a table array.
It then returns the corresponding value in the same column from another row of the same table array.

Step 3: Show how it differs from VLOOKUP:

Point	HLOOKUP	VLOOKUP
Direction of search	Horizontal: it searches the first row of the table array	Vertical: it searches the first column of the range of cells
Where the result comes from	A cell in the same column, from another row	A cell in the same row, from another column
Index argument	row_index_num	col_index_num

Step 4: Write the syntax:
The syntax is HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, range_lookup).

Argument	Meaning
lookup_value	The value to search for in the first row of the table array
table_array	Two or more rows of data. The values in the first row are the ones searched for lookup_value. They can be text, numbers or logical values, and upper and lower case are treated alike
row_index_num	The row number in table_array from which the matching value is returned. A row_index_num of 2 returns the value in the second row, and 3 returns the value in the third row, and so on
range_lookup	A logical value that says whether HLOOKUP should find an exact or an approximate match. If FALSE, a value is returned only if an exact match is found. If TRUE, the nearest match is used when an exact one is not found

Final Answer:
HLOOKUP searches the first row of a table and returns a value from the same column. VLOOKUP searches the first column and returns a value from the same row.
Syntax: HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, range_lookup).