The COUNTIF function is the correct formula for this task. It is designed to count the number of cells within a specified range that meet a single, user-defined criterion. The syntax is COUNTIF(range, criteria), where 'range' is the group of cells to evaluate and 'criteria' is the condition, such as specific text, that a cell must meet to be counted. For example, the formula COUNTIF(A2:A10, "London") counts how many cells in the range A2:A10 contain the exact text "London".

A. COUNT() only counts cells that contain numerical values and ignores any cells containing text.
B. COUNTA() counts all non-empty cells in a range, regardless of their content (text, numbers, etc.), and cannot filter by specific criteria.
C. COUNTIFS() is used to count cells that meet multiple criteria across one or more ranges; COUNTIF is the more direct function for a single criterion.

1. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). COUNTIF function. Microsoft Support. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/countif-function-e0de10c6-f885-4e71-abb4-1f464816df34.

Reference Point: The first paragraph states

"The COUNTIF function counts the number of cells that meet a criterion..." The article provides syntax and examples for counting cells with specific text.

2. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). COUNT function. Microsoft Support. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/count-function-a59cd7fc-b623-4d93-87a4-d23bf411294c.

Reference Point: The "Syntax" section and initial description clarify that this function only counts cells containing numbers.

3. University of Wisconsin-Madison. (n.d.). Excel: Formulas - Using COUNTIF. Software Training for Students. Retrieved from https://it.wisc.edu/services/software-training-for-students-sts/self-study-training-resources/excel-formulas/using-countif/.

Reference Point: The section "Using COUNTIF with Text" explicitly demonstrates how to use the function to count cells based on a text criterion

stating

"The COUNTIF function can also be used to count the number of cells that contain a certain text."