your first question is easily done thusly:

=RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND("-",A1))-MID(A1,1,FIND("-",A1)-1)

Where A1 contains "7-19" the result will be 12 (say in cell B2)

You can repeat this sequence on multiple cells (in column A)and then
sum the cells with the results in column B.

I would not try your second option. Rather, place each component in
adjoining columns and create formulas to analyze each.

HTH


--
swatsp0p


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