Filtering Data Function

Hello all! I am usually pretty good with excel but I was tasked with something that I'm not sure exactly how to tackle. I have a document of 2500 differing entries and I would like to be able to filter them and get a tally at the bottom of the page as to how many there are in that specific search. I would then have to divide that by another search result and then have that displayed as well. Is there a function for this that I am overlooking? Or will I have to get a book for writing macros? If I have to get a book could anyone possibly recommend one for what I need? Thanks!