how does the AVERAGE function work?

D

Dave F

I just used the function average: =AVERAGE(D2:D232) and then recalled that
AVERAGE can only accept thirty numbers.

So, I did =SUM(D2:232)/COUNT(D2:232) and that returned the same calculation
as AVERAGE(D2:D232).

What gives?
 
J

Jim Cone

30 arguments not 30 numbers
--
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA
http://www.realezsites.com/bus/primitivesoftware


"Dave F"
wrote in message

I just used the function average: =AVERAGE(D2:D232) and then recalled that
AVERAGE can only accept thirty numbers.

So, I did =SUM(D2:232)/COUNT(D2:232) and that returned the same calculation
as AVERAGE(D2:D232).

What gives?
 
R

Ron Coderre

The limit you are referring to is the number of individual arguments the
function can accept....not the number of cells referenced.

Example:
In this formula: =AVERAGE(A1:A1000,C1:C1000)
there are 2 arguments: A1:A1000 and C1:C1000

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP
 
D

Dave Peterson

=average() can only accept 30 arguments--not 30 numbers.

=average(a1,a17,b33,d1932,...)

But there are ways around it.

=average((a1,a17,b33,d1932,...))

Note the inside ()'s. That will be treated as one range--and one argument.
 
B

Biff

AVERAGE can only accept thirty numbers.

No, Average can accept up to 30 arguments:

D2:D232

is just one argument.

=AVERAGE(A1,A2,A3,A4,A5)

That has 5 arguments

=AVERAGE(A1:A100,AA1:AA100)

That has 2 arguments

=AVERAGE((A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,A10,A11,A12,
A13,A14,A15,A16,A17,A18,A19,A20,A21,A22,A23,A24,A25,
A26,A27,A28,A29,A30,A31,A32,A33,A34,A35,A36))

That has 1 argument

Biff
 
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