You can use a custom number format that shows the second value with a leading
asterisk/space combination : "* "0. Excel still sees a number in the cell
and you can use it in formulas that add/subtract/multiply/divide/etc

If you haven't ever used custom number formats, follow these steps:

1) select the cell with the second number
2) press Ctrl-1
3) select the Number tab in the dialog box that comes up
4) choose Custom from the bottom of the left hand list
5) in the Type line at the right, enter a double quote asterisk space double
quote
6) click on OK

"accounting beginner" wrote:

In an accounting spread sheet I need to set up three cells to show a
calculation in a specific way. The first cell is the first number to be
multiplied. The second cell is supposed to have the multiplication symbol
and the number to multply by. The third cell is to be a formula cell in
which the multiplication takes place and the results are shown. I don't
understand how my accounting teacher expects me to make the second cell. If
I show the multiplication number then the formula cell is messed up. Does
anyone have a suggestion. I thought about putting the multiplication sign
off in its own cell but the teacher told us it should only take up three
cells.