What does the IF function do?

In Microsoft Excel, the IF function is one of the most commonly used logical functions. It is used to test a condition and return one value if the condition is TRUE, and another value if the condition is FALSE.

The basic syntax of the IF function is:
=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

Example:
=IF(A1>50, "Pass", "Fail")
This formula checks if the value in cell A1 is greater than 50. If it is, Excel will return “Pass”. If it’s not, it will return “Fail”.

This is very useful when working with data that requires logical comparisons, such as student grades, sales targets, or performance evaluations. It helps users automate decision-making within spreadsheets.