Excel Calculation Glitch

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Excel 2003 calculates as
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,300


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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...74aaf97&dg=microsoft.public.excel.crashesgpfs
 
What you have stated is correct.
Excel can handle only a limited number of digits.
To perform the multiplication with full accuracy, pull-down:

Start > Programs > Accessories > Calculator and do the math.
 
Excel (and most other computer software follows the IEEE standard for double
precision binary representation of numbers. As a result, Excel is clearly
documented (see Help for "specifications" to only give 15 significant digits,
which it did in the OP's example.

The Windows calculator is one of a small minority of programs that do not
follow the IEEE standard. It has sufficient precision to handle the OP's
example, but it too has limited precision.

Jerry
 
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