Sort numbers, and numbers stored as text, separately

When you sort numbers stored as text, as text, numbers stored as numbers are sorted first, and then numbers stored as text. For example, after sorting in ascending order, the range would appear to have two sets of numbers. Also, numbers stored as text are evaluated character by character, left to right. For example, 11 appears before 5 because 1 is before 5 in the first character.

Sort anything that looks like a number as a number

When you sort numbers stored as text, as numbers, both numbers stored as text and numbers are sorted together. For example, after sorting in ascending order the range would appear to have one set of numbers.