Question on "Value" function

R

Renny Bosch

In trying to use Excel to help solve a mathematical puzzle, I would like to
calculate the result of applying the mathematical operator in one cell to
the numbers in two other cells.

Example: A1 contains 2, B1 contains +, C1 contains 3. In D1, create a
formula that will give the result of 2 + 3, i.e. 5.

I have tried (among many other attempts)
=VALUE(CONCATENATE(A1, B1, C1)), but it gives me a #VALUE! error.

What am I missing?
 
F

Frank Kabel

Hi
this is not possible without using VBA. try the following UDF:
Public Function my_calculate(op1 As Range, operand As Range, op2 As Range)
my_calculate = Application.Evaluate("=" & op1.Value & operand.Value &
op2.Value)
End Function

And now use in your spreadsheet in D1:
=my_calculate(A1,B1,C1)
 
R

Ron Rosenfeld

In trying to use Excel to help solve a mathematical puzzle, I would like to
calculate the result of applying the mathematical operator in one cell to
the numbers in two other cells.

Example: A1 contains 2, B1 contains +, C1 contains 3. In D1, create a
formula that will give the result of 2 + 3, i.e. 5.

I have tried (among many other attempts)
=VALUE(CONCATENATE(A1, B1, C1)), but it gives me a #VALUE! error.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...

You are missing the fact that the VALUE function does not work on strings
unless they represent a number. In other words, it does not work on formulas,
or operators (such as the '+').

Excel does not have a built in function to do what you wish.

However, if you Google for Longre, and/or morefunc.xll, you will find the
morefunc (free) add-in which contains a function called EVAL, which can convert
a formulaic string to it's result.

However, be sure that you are concatenating strings, and not a combination of
numbers and strings. So your formula would be something like:

=EVAL(CONCATENATE(TEXT(A1,"@"), B1, TEXT(C1,"@")))

or

=EVAL(TEXT(A1,"@")& B1 & TEXT(C1,"@"))


--ron
 
P

Peo Sjoblom

You would need VBA for this, of course if it is as simple as in your example
with 2 cells and just the operand in one you can use

=CHOOSE(MATCH(B1,{"*","+","-","/"},0),A1*C1,A1+C1,A1-C1,A1/C1)

if not you can download Lauremt Longre's excellent add-in
it has a function called EVAL used as

=EVAL(CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1))

it's here

http://longre.free.fr/english/

English description here

http://www.rhdatasolutions.com/morefunc/

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom
 
P

Peo Sjoblom

However, if you Google for Longre, and/or morefunc.xll, you will find the
morefunc (free) add-in which contains a function called EVAL, which can convert
a formulaic string to it's result.

However, be sure that you are concatenating strings, and not a combination of
numbers and strings. So your formula would be something like:

=EVAL(CONCATENATE(TEXT(A1,"@"), B1, TEXT(C1,"@")))

or

=EVAL(TEXT(A1,"@")& B1 & TEXT(C1,"@"))
Click to expand...


Actually this will work with number, operand, number

=EVAL(CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1))

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom
 
R

Ron Rosenfeld

Actually this will work with number, operand, number

=EVAL(CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1))

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing that out. I had tried A1:C1 and got an error.


--ron
 
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