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#1
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Baffling sum error?
I'm baffled!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...m-Puzzle-1.jpg Regardless of what format I use, that SUM gives the strange result shown. I then re-typed all those numbers into another column, P, and now the SUM gives a different but still wrong total equal to =SUM(O8:O16) instead of =SUM(O3:O16). Then I added a fresh worksheet and typed in a few arbitrary numbers into a column and SUM worked correctly. But when I copy/pasted the original 14 cells D3:D16 into the new worksheet and summed them, once again I got 38! It may be relevant that when I choose the SUM tool, Excel 2000 first sometimes selects a horizontal default range. When I somehow get it to select a vertical range, it chooses a default of only the last 9 cells (which don't give a total of 38 anyway). I then extend it upwards to the full 14 cells, but still get a total of 38. What can possibly have caused this weird behaviour please? If it's relevant, the original data entry was probably formatted as either General or Text. I've changed it many times since, but it makes no difference. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
#2
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Baffling sum error?
Terry Pinnell wrote:
I'm baffled! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...m-Puzzle-1.jpg Regardless of what format I use, that SUM gives the strange result shown. I then re-typed all those numbers into another column, P, and now the SUM gives a different but still wrong total equal to =SUM(O8:O16) instead of =SUM(O3:O16). Then I added a fresh worksheet and typed in a few arbitrary numbers into a column and SUM worked correctly. But when I copy/pasted the original 14 cells D3:D16 into the new worksheet and summed them, once again I got 38! It may be relevant that when I choose the SUM tool, Excel 2000 first sometimes selects a horizontal default range. When I somehow get it to select a vertical range, it chooses a default of only the last 9 cells (which don't give a total of 38 anyway). I then extend it upwards to the full 14 cells, but still get a total of 38. What can possibly have caused this weird behaviour please? If it's relevant, the original data entry was probably formatted as either General or Text. I've changed it many times since, but it makes no difference. I remain baffled, but meanwhile to make progress I re-entered the numbers over the top of the existing ones. As soon as I'd entered the 5th, the SUM showed the correct result of 336. Presumably the first five entries must have become corrupted in some obscure way? If anyone shares my curiosity, here's a simplified one-column worksheet demonstrating the issue: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...SUM-Puzzle.xls -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
#3
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Baffling sum error?
Hi Terry,
Am Mon, 28 Sep 2015 09:50:43 +0100 schrieb Terry Pinnell: Presumably the first five entries must have become corrupted in some obscure way? the first five values were text formatted. Formatting them as number did not solve the problem. In this case: Select the numbers = Format them as numbers and then with remaining selection goto Data = Tetx to columns = Fixed Width = Finish Regards Claus B. -- Vista Ultimate / Windows7 Office 2007 Ultimate / 2010 Professional |
#4
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Baffling sum error?
Claus Busch wrote:
Hi Terry, Am Mon, 28 Sep 2015 09:50:43 +0100 schrieb Terry Pinnell: Presumably the first five entries must have become corrupted in some obscure way? the first five values were text formatted. Formatting them as number did not solve the problem. In this case: Select the numbers = Format them as numbers and then with remaining selection goto Data = Tetx to columns = Fixed Width = Finish Regards Claus B. Hi Claus, I was hoping you'd be around! That works fine, thank you. I've made a note for future reference. I don't understand why it wouldn't work after formatting as Numbers? Perhaps it's an Excel 2000 bug, or is it also true in more recent versions? -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
#5
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Baffling sum error?
Hi Terry,
Am Mon, 28 Sep 2015 13:17:24 +0100 schrieb Terry Pinnell: I don't understand why it wouldn't work after formatting as Numbers? Perhaps it's an Excel 2000 bug, or is it also true in more recent versions? sometimes Excel (in all versions) refuses to format text values to numbers. Then you can force it with Text to columns Regards Claus B. -- Vista Ultimate / Windows7 Office 2007 Ultimate / 2010 Professional |
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