"Dee" wrote:
I formated the cell to "numbers" and it gave the correct answer.

Generally not the case. In fact, explicit formatting is often the source of
the confusion. You see numbers rounded to 2 decimal places, but in fact the
underlying values are not. Unless you set the option "Precision as
displayed" option.


Kinda wierd that the other cells are "general" and work fine

I hope my other response gives some insight into that. In a nutshell, it is
all coincidental. Some decimal fractions (e.g. 0.50 and 0.25) can be
represented exactly. Excel heuristics try to "correct" the numerical
anomalies under specific conditions. And sometimes, the result depends on
the order of operations; that is, A+B-C might not have exactly the same
result as A-C+B.

Suffice it to say, it can all seem quite mysterious and unpredictable.


----- original message -----

"Dee" wrote in message
...
Thanks much!!! I formated the cell to "numbers" and it gave the correct
answer. Kinda wierd that the other cells are "general" and work fine....


Anyway................you have taught me a new tool and fixed the
problem:)



"Ken Wright" wrote:

Probably nothing.

See here for the probable cause:

http://cpearson.com/excel/rounding.htm

Ignore the fact that the page says Excel 97, as you aill also see in the
small print it actually applies to all versions of Excel.

If you simply format to acctg or some numerical format and a few decimal
places of precision, it will appear as 0.

Regards
Ken...............................


"Dee" wrote in message
...
I have a simple calculation C8-C14 that I use to figure my budget
difference. It works in all the monthly columns I have set up except
for
one. I get a result of

-1.42109E-13

What could I have done wrong?????