Division By Zero

C

carl

In this formula: = b24/b5

If b5 is blank or zero, can the formula be written so that it will return
"NoOrders" ?

Thank you in advance.
 
M

Myrna Larson

Hi, Aladin:

I was going to say that doesn't work for me, but surprisingly (to me), it
does!

According to the documentation for the N function, it shouldn't work. If I
type a 0 in B5, then write in another cell the formula =N(B5), I get 0. But
your formula returns NoOrders.

The question is, WHY? Let's say you have 100 in B24 and 0 in B5. N tests
whether 0 is a number, which it is. Therefore the formula *should* return
100/0, and ultimately a divide-by-zero error.

OTOH, if you change the formula to

=IF(N(B24/B5),B24/B5,"NoOrders")

you get #DIV/0! rather than NoOrders. B24/B5 in this case returns an error
value, and N(B24/B5) returns that same error value, #DIV/0! IF seems to treat
this error result as non-0, and returns the result of B24/B5, or an error.

I find this behavior to be very bizarre and counter-intuitive.

I would use a formula that doesn't produce all of these "surprises", maybe
something like

=IF(ISERROR(B24/B5),"NoOrders",B24/B5)
 
A

Aladin Akyurek

Myrna,

If the condition part in a IF formula evaluates to 0, which means FALSE
while a non-zero numeric result is taken as TRUE, and N(0)=0, IF will
proceed to its then-part.

Aladin
 
S

Sandy Mann

Myrna,

I'm not, (can't), trying to answer for Aladin, but I don't understand what
you mean by:
According to the documentation for the N function, it shouldn't work
Click to expand...

My Help says for N:

*************************
If value is or refers to N returns
A number That number
************************

If N returns a 0 then it is the same as:

=IF(0,"Alex","Sandy")

which will return "Sandy"

Why do you find it counter-intuitive?

--
Puzzled,


Sandy
[email protected]
Replace@mailinator with @tiscali.co.uk
 
M

Myrna Larson

Because my Alzheimer's is flaring up today???

Myrna,

I'm not, (can't), trying to answer for Aladin, but I don't understand what
you mean by:


My Help says for N:

*************************
If value is or refers to N returns
A number That number
************************

If N returns a 0 then it is the same as:

=IF(0,"Alex","Sandy")

which will return "Sandy"

Why do you find it counter-intuitive?
Click to expand...
 
M

Myrna Larson

Somehow I must have been thinking about ISNUMBER(B5), even though I was
reading help on the N() function. As I said, must be a "bad Alzheimer day".
 
S

Sandy Mann

The doctor said to the patient, "I've got two pieces of bad news for you -
you've got cancer and Alzhimer's"
"Oh well," said the patient, "At least I haven't got cancer!" <g>

--
Regards


Sandy
[email protected]
Replace@mailinator with @tiscali.co.uk
 
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