excel-set up G column as percentage change

[susanne_Ochsner]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

Help this blondie that cannot figure this out. I know formula for percent change is ($E-$F)/$E. Having two problems:
1) when I type this, it only goes to that one particular cell, hence something wrong or doing it on wrong place.
2) when the result appears in column G, it shows up as $5 instead of -4.8% and another as +5.2%
How can I correct this simple yet seemingly for me complex problem?
Thanks all!

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

Help this blondie that cannot figure this out. I know formula for percent
change is ($E-$F)/$E. Having two problems:
1) when I type this, it only goes to that one particular cell, hence something
wrong or doing it on wrong place.
2) when the result appears in column G, it shows up as $5 instead of -4.8% and
another as +5.2%
How can I correct this simple yet seemingly for me complex problem?
Thanks all!

$E, etc. refers to an entire column. If you have values in columns E and F,
and want the answer in column G, then in the row where you want the first
result, type the formula as:
=($ex-$fx)/$ex
Where X is the row. Press Enter. Then you can drag the little green box at
the bottom of the cell, to drag the formula down for as many rows as needed.

 

[Laroche J]

Bob Greenblatt wrote on 2008-04-01 07:59:

$E, etc. refers to an entire column. If you have values in columns E and F,
and want the answer in column G, then in the row where you want the first
result, type the formula as:
=($ex-$fx)/$ex
Where X is the row. Press Enter. Then you can drag the little green box at
the bottom of the cell, to drag the formula down for as many rows as needed.

I'd add that mathematically your formula is wrong too. A change value is
defined as the difference between the new value and the old value, divided
by the old value. Hence, =($Fx-$Ex)/$Ex, where as Bob said, x is the row
number.

You do know the difference between using the $ sign and not using it, don't
you? I.e. you could also use =(Fx-Ex)/Ex most of the time, it makes formula
copying easier.

JL
Mac OS X 10.4.11, Office v.X 10.1.9