Combine & Solve: IF + AND/OR/VLOOKUP
Real decisions almost never depend on just one condition. These five exercises nest IF together with AND, OR, and a lookup to encode an actual business rule.
Every function on its own is straightforward; the real skill in Excel is nesting two or three of them together to answer one real question. This set takes the plain IF from the Basics theme and the AND/OR logic from AND / OR / XOR / NOT, then adds a lookup on top, the same way an actual approval sheet, budget check, or eligibility rule gets built.
Five free exercises, graded instantly, no signup required:
The credit team reviews Amara's application. She's approved only if her income is at least $40,000 AND her credit score is at least 650.
Approach: IF(AND(condition1,condition2),"Approved","Denied"). Combine two conditions inside AND, then wrap in IF.
Real decisions almost never depend on just one condition. Combining IF with AND/OR is how you encode actual business rules.
Each order lists a product code and quantity. Look up the unit price, multiply by quantity, and flag any order over $500.
Approach: Nest VLOOKUP inside the math, then wrap in IF: =IF(VLOOKUP(E1,A2:B4,2,FALSE)*E2>500,"Over Budget","OK").
Multi-step formulas like this are what real spreadsheets look like: nesting one function inside another to go from raw data to a decision.
The renewal scholarship requires a GPA of at least 3.5 AND at least 12 credits this term. Check Sofia's status.
Approach: =IF(AND(B2>=3.5,C2>=12),"Eligible","Not Eligible"). Both conditions have to hold.
Eligibility rules with more than one requirement are AND nested inside IF, every time.
Look up each item's unit weight, multiply by quantity, and flag any order over 50 lbs total as needing a freight quote.
Approach: =IF(VLOOKUP(E1,A2:C4,3,FALSE)*E2>50,"Freight Quote","Standard Ship").
A lookup feeding straight into a calculation, then a decision, is exactly how logistics sheets flag exceptions.
A venue booking needs sign-off if it either seats 100+ guests OR costs $2,000 or more. Check this request.
Approach: =IF(OR(B2>=100,C2>=2000),"Needs Sign-off","Auto-Approved"). Only one condition needs to be true.
OR nested in IF is how "either of these triggers a review" rules get written.
Why this combination
Real decisions almost never depend on just one condition. Combining IF with AND/OR is how you encode actual business rules. Working through all five in this set is what makes the pattern stick, not just the first one.
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