How do I work with variances when there is a negative number?
 

If I do a SUM(B8:B9) and I have two negative numbers it adds them instead of
actually finding the difference between the two numbers, for example the
variance of -43 & -1, it wil give -44 when it should be -42. If I do an
=B8-B9 and cell B9 is negative, it takes two negatives to form a positive and
I still don't get the right answer, for example. 23-(-3) returns 26 instead
of a variance of 20, can someone please help me with how I can set an
equation for two cells variance. Thanks, Susan Hibbs

How do I work with variances when there is a negative number?
 

Hi Susan,

=b8-abs(b9)

hth
Regards from Brazil
Marcelo

"Susan" escreveu:

If I do a SUM(B8:B9) and I have two negative numbers it adds them instead of
actually finding the difference between the two numbers, for example the
variance of -43 & -1, it wil give -44 when it should be -42. If I do an
=B8-B9 and cell B9 is negative, it takes two negatives to form a positive and
I still don't get the right answer, for example. 23-(-3) returns 26 instead
of a variance of 20, can someone please help me with how I can set an
equation for two cells variance. Thanks, Susan Hibbs

How do I work with variances when there is a negative number?
 

I tried that and it still returns the two #'s added together, this is what I
have. -21 operating margin and -17 planned or budgeted operating margin, the
variance should be 4, but it adds them together. Can you see what you think
about this. thanks,

"Marcelo" wrote:

Hi Susan,

=b8-abs(b9)

hth
Regards from Brazil
Marcelo

"Susan" escreveu:

If I do a SUM(B8:B9) and I have two negative numbers it adds them instead of
actually finding the difference between the two numbers, for example the
variance of -43 & -1, it wil give -44 when it should be -42. If I do an
=B8-B9 and cell B9 is negative, it takes two negatives to form a positive and
I still don't get the right answer, for example. 23-(-3) returns 26 instead
of a variance of 20, can someone please help me with how I can set an
equation for two cells variance. Thanks, Susan Hibbs

How do I work with variances when there is a negative number?
 

Susan wrote:
I tried that and it still returns the two #'s added together, this is what I
have. -21 operating margin and -17 planned or budgeted operating margin, the
variance should be 4, but it adds them together. Can you see what you think
about this. thanks,

"Marcelo" wrote:

Hi Susan,

=b8-abs(b9)

hth
Regards from Brazil
Marcelo

"Susan" escreveu:

If I do a SUM(B8:B9) and I have two negative numbers it adds them instead of
actually finding the difference between the two numbers, for example the
variance of -43 & -1, it wil give -44 when it should be -42. If I do an
=B8-B9 and cell B9 is negative, it takes two negatives to form a positive and
I still don't get the right answer, for example. 23-(-3) returns 26 instead
of a variance of 20, can someone please help me with how I can set an
equation for two cells variance. Thanks, Susan Hibbs

Consider the following cases:

B8=23, B9=3
B8=23, B9=-3
B8=-23, B9=3
B8=-23, B9=-3

For each example, what do you want the answer to be?

Allan Rogg