Swhouston055 wrote...
The help files don't have answers for the questions I have, such as how to
find the present value of a bond when given the par value, the years to
maturity, the coupon interest rate and the discount rate of return.

Also, how can I discover the payment required monthly for a $20,000 college
education 4 years from now at 6 %, with an initial payment of $9000.00.

These are the sort of questions I'd like to see if Excel can solve.

The dictionary you listed was too dated.

Dated perhaps, but still current. No functions have been added to Excel
since 1997. Besides, Excel's financial functions have been included
with Excel since the mid 1980s, so from the time you were in diapers.
Wouldn't that mean you'd still have found what you needed if you'd
bothered to look.

Here's a piece of wisdom it may take you a lifetime to learn (or not):
the truth isn't always new.

As for your first two paragraphs, Excel does contain functions that can
solve both your sample problems, though the first one would require the
Analysis ToolPak add-in. The second only requires the PMT function.
Online help are skimpy on details, but they're sufficient for anyone
who knows the underlying theory of interest and financial math. If you
don't, then there are decent books available. Consider John
Walkenbach's 'Excel 2003 Formula'.