I have a sheet which generates numbers using the =rand() function but it has
started producing some negative numbers, when they should only produce
numbers between 0 and 1. This has only happened recently, and if i try a
formula for example rand()*(1.5-0.5)+0.5, it generates numbers lower than
0.5 occasionally. Does anyone have an explanation for this, or an idea of
how i could return it to the origional method?

Hi!

This is a known bug. Do a Google Groups search on Bug in Excel's RAND()
Function and you'll find plenty of mention. Here's one discussion:

http://tinyurl.com/fofoe

Biff

"theo499" wrote in message
...
I have a sheet which generates numbers using the =rand() function but it
has
started producing some negative numbers, when they should only produce
numbers between 0 and 1. This has only happened recently, and if i try a
formula for example rand()*(1.5-0.5)+0.5, it generates numbers lower than
0.5 occasionally. Does anyone have an explanation for this, or an idea of
how i could return it to the origional method?

Hello:

I think this is only a problem in Excel 2003 if you have not installed the
the Office 2003 Service Pack 1. I have not had it occur once
since the patch. In fact there was a hotfix before the patch:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834520/

So the best thing to do is intall the service packs. If you can't then
just change your rand() call to abs(rand()) which at least will not
produce negative random numbers.

Pieter Vandenberg


Biff wrote:
: Hi!

: This is a known bug. Do a Google Groups search on Bug in Excel's RAND()
: Function and you'll find plenty of mention. Here's one discussion:

: http://tinyurl.com/fofoe

: Biff

: "theo499" wrote in message
: ...
:I have a sheet which generates numbers using the =rand() function but it
:has
: started producing some negative numbers, when they should only produce
: numbers between 0 and 1. This has only happened recently, and if i try a
: formula for example rand()*(1.5-0.5)+0.5, it generates numbers lower than
: 0.5 occasionally. Does anyone have an explanation for this, or an idea of
: how i could return it to the origional method?