Excel can't do basic math?!

S

Steven Sinclair

Here's the deal...

Open Excel
New worksheet
Enter data
Sum data

No matter whether I add numbers from column to column or row to row, my
totals are always off by exactly 672. What the heck is that?!

Example...

A B C
140785 276714 418171

Formula in C is "=sum(A1+B1)

How much simpler can it get?

Any ideas?
 
M

Marcelo

hi,

your calculation should set as manual, to calculate press F9,

go to Tolls | Options and set calc as automatic

hth
--
regards from Brazil
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Marcelo



"Steven Sinclair" escreveu:
 
H

Harald Staff

Or worse, you may have circular references in your workbook. Any warnings
when you open it ? Better read it if so, this is a very dangerous error.

HTH. Best wishes Harald
 
S

Steven Sinclair

No warnings...no errors.

Just Excel's apparent inability to do basic math.

I can open up a fresh worksheet and put one figure in A1, another in B1, add
them together in C1, and the total is always 672 more than it should be.

Thanx.
 
H

Harald Staff

Really? You enter 1 in A1 and 1 in B1 and formula =A1+B1 in cell C1 returns
674 ? And when you select C1 again the formula is still there unchanged ?

Best wishes Harald
 
S

Steven Sinclair

Yep.

Doesn't matter what cells I use. Also doesn't matter if it is done
horizontally or vertically, or even all over the worksheet for that
matter...one value in C5, another in HA492, and the total formula in Z1. The
total is always 672 more than it should be. I've never seen anything like
this before.

Other ideas?

Thanx.
 
S

Steven Sinclair

Yep.

Harald Staff said:
Really? You enter 1 in A1 and 1 in B1 and formula =A1+B1 in cell C1 returns
674 ? And when you select C1 again the formula is still there unchanged ?

Best wishes Harald
Click to expand...
 
D

Dana DeLouis

For debugging, I notice that "sum" is not Capitalized.
"=sum(A1+B1)"

A proper working formula would most likely be in all Capitals:
=SUM(A1,B1)

(note that A1+B1 "is" the sum)

Also, try the "Evaluate Formula" toolbar button located on the Formula
Auditing toolbar.
 
N

Niek Otten

<and formula =A1+B1>

Really? Without the "SUM" part?

Did you inherit your Excel from someone else? Might there be event macros? Is there a UDF called SUM?

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel





| Yep.
|
| "Harald Staff" wrote:
|
| > Really? You enter 1 in A1 and 1 in B1 and formula =A1+B1 in cell C1 returns
| > 674 ? And when you select C1 again the formula is still there unchanged ?
| >
| > Best wishes Harald
| >
| > "Steven Sinclair" <[email protected]> skrev i melding
| > | > > No warnings...no errors.
| > >
| > > Just Excel's apparent inability to do basic math.
| > >
| > > I can open up a fresh worksheet and put one figure in A1, another in B1,
| > add
| > > them together in C1, and the total is always 672 more than it should be.
| > >
| > > Thanx.
| > >
| > > "Harald Staff" wrote:
| > >
| > > > Or worse, you may have circular references in your workbook. Any
| > warnings
| > > > when you open it ? Better read it if so, this is a very dangerous error.
| > > >
| > > > HTH. Best wishes Harald
| > > >
| > > > "Marcelo" <[email protected]> skrev i melding
| > > > | > > > > hi,
| > > > >
| > > > > your calculation should set as manual, to calculate press F9,
| > > > >
| > > > > go to Tolls | Options and set calc as automatic
| > > > >
| > > > > hth
| > > > > --
| > > > > regards from Brazil
| > > > > Thanks in advance for your feedback.
| > > > > Marcelo
| > > > >
| > > > >
| > > > >
| > > > > "Steven Sinclair" escreveu:
| > > > >
| > > > > > Here's the deal...
| > > > > >
| > > > > > Open Excel
| > > > > > New worksheet
| > > > > > Enter data
| > > > > > Sum data
| > > > > >
| > > > > > No matter whether I add numbers from column to column or row to row,
| > my
| > > > > > totals are always off by exactly 672. What the heck is that?!
| > > > > >
| > > > > > Example...
| > > > > >
| > > > > > A B C
| > > > > > 140785 276714 418171
| > > > > >
| > > > > > Formula in C is "=sum(A1+B1)
| > > > > >
| > > > > > How much simpler can it get?
| > > > > >
| > > > > > Any ideas?
| > > >
| > > >
| > > >
| >
| >
| >
 
D

Dave F

out of curiosity: what happens when you subtract, multiply, or divide? Or
use other mathematical functions?
 
D

Dave F

Excel automatically capitalizes formulas which are not entered as
capitalized. That wouldn't explain the issue.
 
H

Harald Staff

Rally ? Formula in C1 still says
=A1+B1
in the formula bar, and the result in C1 is wrong ?
I believe you have a valuable collectors item there if so.

Best wishes Harald
 
S

Steven Sinclair

Yes, even without the SUM part, it is still occuring.

As for the UDF, I'm not sure as I don't know what a UDF is. However, there
are no macros in the worksheet.

Thanx.
 
S

Steven Sinclair

Forgot to mention that my Excel has been working fine for over three years
until this morning.

Thanx.
 
C

Claudiakc

I tried something simple like 1+1=2. I added a number in A1 and a number in
B1 and put the sum in C1. I tried it your way, =sum(a1,b1) and my way,
=SUM(A1:B1). Both ways added up to 2. The only time my Excel ever went
haywire was when I got a virus.
 
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