Simple arithmetic

P

Pat

Here is a simple arithmetic question

=SUM((AR32*AU32+AR32/1.4)+(AS32*AU32+AS32))

Each of the cell contain the following values:
AR32 = 4.70
AU32 = 20%
AS32 = 0.00

The current formula will return:
4.30

The correct answer according to my calculations is 4.028

Is the formula wrong or am I wrong?

Pat
 
D

Don Guillett

You may need to break down into sections such as below. I did NOT test
=AR32*AU32+(AR32)/1.4)+AS32*(AU32+AS32)
 
B

Bernard Liengme

This works: =(AR32*AU32+AR32)/1.4+(AS32*AU32+AS32)
or =(AR32*AU32+AR32)/1.4+AS32*AU32+AS32
Note: 1) no need fro SUM
2) you must group AR32+AU32+Ar32 before dividing because (like all computer
apps) Excel does math in order: power, * and /; + and -
 
R

Ron Rosenfeld

Is the formula wrong or am I wrong?
Click to expand...

The formula is doing what it should do according to Excel's rules of
precedence.

The SUM function is superfluous.

In order to obtain the result you posted, you need to rearrange your
parentheses to match the order of calculation precedence in your (manual)
calculation:

=(AR32*AU32+AR32)/1.4+(AS32*AU32+AS32)




--ron
 
J

Jay Somerset

You have to pay attention to the order of evaluation within any aritjmentic
formula. Multiplication and division are performed before addition and
subtraction.

If you insert a ) before the division sign, to force adding AR32 before
dividing by 1.4, then you get the answer 4.028571429

Your original formula add 4.70/1.4 to 4.70*.2, and then adds the second
term, which is zero.

The answer you get all depends on what expression you really want to
evaluate.
 
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