Problem with Factorials

[Adam Cunningham]

I am trying to put in a formula that includes factorials. I know the
function is FACT(x), but my x is 365 and the result is a #NUM error. Is
there a way around this, or can EXCEL just not handle it?

TIA,
Adam

 

[Greg Lovern]

Hi Adam,

Excel can't calculate factorials larger than 170! because it can't
recognize a number that large. 171! is approximately 1.241E309, a
couple digits too large for Excel.

Also, even though Excel can calculate factorials up to 170!, it can
only calculate them at *full precision* up to 20!. Anything larger is
rounded. That's because anything larger than 20! has more than Excel's
maximum of 15 signficant digits. For example, 21! is
51,090,942,171,709,440,000, which has 16 signficant digits.

xlPrecision in Excel can calculate factorials up to 9,273!, all at
full precision. The free edition of xlPrecision, since it is limited
to 150 signficant digits, can only calculate factorials at full
precision up to 96!; everything larger, up to 9,273!, is rounded to
150 signficant digits.

You can download the free edition of xlPrecision for Excel at:

http://www.PrecisionCalc.com


Thanks,

Greg Lovern
http://PrecisionCalc.com
Get Your Numbers Right

 

[Harlan Grove]

I am trying to put in a formula that includes factorials. I know the
function is FACT(x), but my x is 365 and the result is a #NUM error. Is
there a way around this, or can EXCEL just not handle it?

What are you trying to do with these numbers? If you're working in
combinatorics, there are many techniques that eliminate the need to calculate
factorials. If you're working in number theory, all spreadsheets are very poor
tools - you should be using a symbolic math package like Mathematica.

Assuming it's combinatorics or probability, you could use GAMMALN for most
intermediaet calculations, and wrap results in EXP to get final results.

 

[Robert McCurdy]

A little late - but the Windows Calculator can do 365.

2.5104128675558732292929443748812e+778

Mine is found here > C:\WINDOWS\system32
its called calc.exe

I tried to find its limit for factorials and stopped after 5,000
which returned this...

4.2285779266055435222010642002336e+16325


Regards Robert