There are a few different ways to convert strings to numbers in Excel. The first way is to use the VALUE function. This function takes a string as an argument and returns the number that the string represents. For example, if you have a string in cell A1 that says "5", you can use the following formula to convert it to a number:

=VALUE(A1)

The second way to convert strings to numbers is to use the NUMBERVALUE function. This function is very similar to the VALUE function, but it has a few extra features. For example, it can handle strings with commas in them (like "1,000"). To use this function, you would use a formula like this:

=NUMBERVALUE(A1)

The third way to convert strings to numbers is to use the CONVERT function. This function is a bit more powerful than the other two because it can handle a wider variety of number formats. For example, you can use it to convert strings that represent percentages or currency values. To use this function, you would use a formula like this:

=CONVERT(A1,"l")

"l" is the code for percentage values. You can find a full list of codes here.