Firstly my problem is mathematical....

If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
best way to represent such a problem?

If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can I
best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a fraction?

This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would require
the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

Sounds like homework, but,

7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much
maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.

to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1
in an area where the lowest number is the better result.



Saxman Wrote:
Firstly my problem is mathematical....

If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
best way to represent such a problem?

If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can
I
best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a
fraction?

This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would
require
the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.


--
Bryan Hessey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryan Hessey's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=393545

with the (text) fraction in cell a6

=IF(ISODD(LEN(A6)),LEFT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1)))/RIGHT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1))),LEFT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1)-1))/RIGHT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1))))

converts it to a decimal

"Saxman" wrote:

Firstly my problem is mathematical....

If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
best way to represent such a problem?

If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can I
best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a fraction?

This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would require
the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

Bryan,

Not disagreeing with what you say, but it may be too simplistic. In some
situations, a place will carry a weighting. So a 1st, 2nd and a 3rd may
weight more highly than 3 2nds. As so often happens, the true answer is ...
it depends ... :-)

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


"Bryan Hessey"
wrote in message
news:Bryan.Hessey.1tcg2d_1123333505.0493@excelforu m-nospam.com...

Sounds like homework, but,

7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much
maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.

to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1
in an area where the lowest number is the better result.



Saxman Wrote:
Firstly my problem is mathematical....

If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
best way to represent such a problem?

If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can
I
best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a
fraction?

This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would
require
the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.


--
Bryan Hessey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryan Hessey's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=393545

And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's one
thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and it's
quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in their
prime............

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"Bryan Hessey"
wrote in message
news:Bryan.Hessey.1tcg2d_1123333505.0493@excelforu m-nospam.com...

Sounds like homework, but,

7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much
maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.

to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1
in an area where the lowest number is the better result.



Saxman Wrote:
Firstly my problem is mathematical....

If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
best way to represent such a problem?

If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can
I
best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a
fraction?

This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would
require
the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.


--
Bryan Hessey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryan Hessey's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=393545

CLR wrote:
And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's one
thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and it's
quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in their
prime............


I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
etc.

I think what Chuck is saying and what I am saying is that there are many
answers to this question, If it a homework question, then you should think
about the circumstances in which it would be applied, and analyse and
present on the many options. I don't feel we are doing it for you, just
advising you to think of the possibilities, and research each.

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


"Saxman" wrote in message
...
CLR wrote:
And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's
one
thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and
it's
quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in
their
prime............


I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
etc.

You got the idea..............and don't forget DISTANCE............top-notch
SPRINTERS usually don't make good long-distance runners..........and
vice-versa..................it is indeed a multi-faceted problem, worthy of
many considerations.

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3






"Saxman" wrote in message
...
CLR wrote:
And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's
one
thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and
it's
quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in
their
prime............


I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
etc.