Thanks Bob/Bernard. It's my fault - I should have explained that my numbers
may also be fractions. In fact they are each the inverse of 1 through to N.
So 1/1 +1/2 + 1/3.......1/N. I assumed the same formula could apply.

Neither of the formulas you provided seem to work in this scenario and I get
a REF error. Can you help further? Not a math or excel bunny I am afraid, so
the more explanation the better.


"Bob Phillips" wrote:

If is always 1,2,3....N you can use Gauss's solution

=IF(ISEVEN(A1),(A1/2)*(1+A1),INT(A1/2)*(A1)+A1)

where A1 holds N

otherwise use

=SUMPRODUCT(--(ROW(INDIRECT(A1&":"&A2))))

where A1 and A2 are first and last numbers


--
HTH

Bob Phillips

"LAdekoya" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a formula to which I can supply a number N and have it
calculate 1+2+3+4.....+N. I realise that I can enter 1 to N in as many
cells
then use SUM but this won't do for what I need to achieve.