Which function would you use to find the maximum value in a range of cells?

To determine the maximum value in a range of cells, the function that should be utilized is MAX. This function is specifically designed to analyze a set of numerical values and return the highest number among them. When it's applied to a range of cells, MAX evaluates each individual value and efficiently identifies the peak value in that dataset.

The other functions mentioned serve different purposes. MIN is used to find the minimum value, giving insights into the lowest figures in the range. SORT is used to arrange data in a certain order, either ascending or descending, which does not directly provide the maximum value without further steps. RANK assigns a rank to a number within the context of a dataset, indicating its position relative to others, but it doesn’t directly yield the maximum value itself.

Therefore, MAX is the optimal choice for locating the highest number in a dataset, making it the correct answer for the question.