Stupid Excel an Math

[squall_01]

Im using excel 07 the thing is that I have a pile of work to do an I need to have these numbers 4.25 an 4.50 show up as percentages but when I click the percentage button I get 450% and it will mess up the formula an I tried moving the decimal but to no advial.  WHAY AM I DOING WRONG???

[Dias de verano]

What are you trying to do?

425% times something is the same as 4.25 times that thing.
4.25% times something is the same as 0.0425 times that thing.

[soybean]

Are you applying the % format before or after entering your numbers.  If after, try formatting those cells for % *before* entering the values.  Then, entering 4.25 or 4.50 will display as 4.25% or 4.50%.

Alternatively, where you're applying the % format after entering the number, enter .0425 or .0450 instead of 4.25 or 4.50. 

[squall_01]

Are you applying the % format before or after entering your numbers.  If after, try formatting those cells for % *before* entering the values.  Then, entering 4.25 or 4.50 will display as 4.25% or 4.50%.

Alternatively, where you're applying the % format after entering the number, enter .0425 or .0450 instead of 4.25 or 4.50. 

Thanks thats what I'm tring to do and what I needed   

[squall_01]

It didn't work I tried it.  I have to use a thrid number too 39.50 an it showing up as zero when I do this an I did it both ways an its very irritating

[Dias de verano]

please show the formula and (for the second time of asking) say what you are trying to do!

[squall_01]

This is one of the cells that I need for it,  i'm tring to make these numbers in to a percentage but they come up differntly.  4.25,4.50,39.50 

[Dias de verano]

Are you deliberately not giving any information?

[squall_01]

No I just want to get the stupid things done. 

[soybean]

Read this: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HP011612311033.aspx  It confirms what I said about applying the Percent format after vs. before.

It didn't work I tried it.  I have to use a thrid number too 39.50 an it showing up as zero when I do this an I did it both ways an its very irritating

No offense, but I think you need to get a book on Excel.  Visit a library and get a book and/or CD.  Or, go here and buy a book; used books are generally good bargains.

[squall_01]

I have a book the thing was that it was removing the decimal when I clicked the button.

[Dias de verano]

This is what I just did...

1. I typed 0.25 into cell A1

Cell A1 is formatted as "Number" with 2 decimal places.



2. I clicked the percentage button.

Cell A1 now shows "25%" and the cell formatting has changed to "percentage"

(The cat agrees)



Are you saying this does not happen?

I think the problem arises because once you have clicked the percentage button, the format of the cell is changed from number to percentage. If you leave it like that, then type another decimal number in, then you get the result you described. Read Soybean's post again.

[squall_01]

yes but yor decimal place is gone if its like 39.50 it would show only 395%

[Dias de verano]

squall_01, fooling around with Excel when you don't understand what you are doing is not going to help you learn. Start with simple stuff and work up.

[squall_01]

What ever man,  I got it working an it removes the decimal places when you click the percent button if you enter it as a decimal.  I mean no disrespect but I been taking excel since the six grade.  I have a collage course in it, its 07 an I was taught 03 so its some what new to me.  Know for some reason  I take b2*(b3/ (1-b6))  an come up with 253818436.69 an I should have 252733916.  Heres the cells

A2- Units Sold in Prior Year   B2 - 11,459,713
Unit Cost   $13.40
Annual Sales Growth   4.25%
Annual Price Decrease   4.50%
Margin   39.50%

[squall_01]

Its not that I wouldnt take your advice but I have to get three major long excel workbooks done by Tuesday.

[Dias de verano]

Well, I get the same answer as you.



Let's "do the math" as the Yanks say.

b2=11,459,713 (Eleven million, four hundred and fifty nine thousand, seven hundred and thirteen units)
b3=$13.40     (Thirteen dollars and forty cents unit cost)
b4=4.25%      (Four and a quarter percent, or 0.0425, or zero point zero four two five annual sales growth)
b5=4.50%      (Four and a half percent, or 0.0450, or zero point zero four five zero annual price decrease)
b6=39.50%     (Thirty nine and a half percent, or 0.395, or zero point three nine five margin)


the formula is

b7=b2* (B3/(1-B6)) -- units sold in p.y. times ( unit cost divided by [one minus the margin] )

one minus the margin is 1 - 39.5% = 60.5% = 0.605

(time to fire up calculator!)

unit cost / that = $13.40 / 0.605 = $22.1487

units sold times that = 253818436.69

Which is the same as Excel says. So why do you expect to see 252733916?

[squall_01]

Its what the book said that I should have gottin in cell b11 sorry.  Have three more plus powerpoint an a buntch of other stuff really stressed STRESSED.

[Dias de verano]

What is the book title and exercise, page numbers, etc? Maybe a Google search will show there is an error. Text books are wrong sometimes. What will you lose, apart from face, by asking fellow students / teacher? You have typed in the figures exactly as in the book? No typos? The figure we are getting is a bit bigger than the book, by a factor of 1.0042911561185163608987089805549 (i.e. a tiny bit bigger) Have you set cell formats incorrectly so that rounding errors took place? Is that units sold figure exactly the same as the book?

If I could see the exercise as shown in the book it would be a help.

[squall_01]

I thought I was hard headed??  Thats why I love the CH members, in a straight non gay way.  Introductory concepts an techniques wind xp edition,  by shelly cashman vermaat.  Big green an black book.  Excel 234 step 8 A.  I have no contacts in my class an I dont know how quickly he would respond. 

[Dias de verano]

This book is also horribly lacking the ability to check how close your Office document that YOU made to their example. It's no use if you don't know how well you did. Things can look similar, but there are probably errors here-or-there.

Amazon customer's review

[squall_01]

So true, sadly I had formatted cells like this before an when I printed it, it would show what I had in the cells an I some what resized it an still nothing.  It had set a specfic size.  Oh well I'll just tell him then an do what I can.  I have to pull another late or early shift thought to do it.

[Dias de verano]

Good luck. Sorry I was rude before. 

[squall_01]

*bows* no disrespect intended.  I'm short tempered sorry if I was the one that caused the problem.  Also, perfect to a fault.

[soybean]

This book is also horribly lacking the ability to check how close your Office document that YOU made to their example. It's no use if you don't know how well you did. Things can look similar, but there are probably errors here-or-there.

Amazon customer's review

I'm not sure what book you're referring to, but I have Microsoft Office 2003: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, Premium Edition (Shelly Cashman) and it has good reviews, I've found it to be good.  I believe this book is used in many college classes; I know Columbus State Community College uses it. 

squall_01, I'm not sure this is the same book you have.  Your reference to "Excel 234 step 8 A" doesn't seem to correspond to my book.  In my book, page EX 234 discusses Saving an Excel Chart as a Dynamic Web Page.  Can you identify the topic in your book by topic title instead of page reference?

[squall_01]

Then thats not the same book the title is even differnt I think that there are three books, From what my teacher said there more advanced one past this one.

[soybean]

Introductory concepts an techniques wind xp edition,  by shelly cashman vermaat.

You did say Introductory ...   If that's the title, then I'd say it's not a more advanced book, just a different version of the introductory book.

[squall_01]

May be but I was refuring to after this one.

[squall_01]

know I'm running into the same stupid problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need to have these numbers entered an 7.65 an 1.45 so I do it like I did the last time.  I got 765 or something dumb like that an I cant get it to come up as 7.65%

[Dias de verano]

I need to have these numbers entered an 7.65 an 1.45 so I do it like I did the last time.  I got 765 or something dumb like that an I cant get it to come up as 7.65%

format the cells as number, 2 decimal places and enter 0.0765 and 0.0145 respectively then format the cells as percentage

[squall_01]

Never mind I moved the decimal after I formated them even thought they came up like that.  Thanks any way Dias de verano    I'm really starting to hate excel.