'Learning M'soft Office 97' solution needed

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frogleg
  • Start date Start date
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Frogleg

I'm using the above book and am stuck on Excel exercise #31 (page 265)

It's about a 'what-f' worksheet and introduces data tables. The
example shown in the instructional part of the exercise isn't valid,
according to the error msg I get when copying it.

Any help gratefully received.
 
Kind of hard for anyone without YOUR book to help you. But, why don't you
try F1 for help. Look in the INDEX for data table and read what's there.
 
Frog

The chances of someone having the same book are not great.

Could you post some description and example of what isn't valid and what error
message you receive?

Gord Dibben Excel MVP
 
The chances of someone having the same book are not great.
Click to expand...

I thought it worth a shot. It's a pretty good book. Up 'til now.
Could you post some description and example of what isn't valid and what error
message you receive?
Click to expand...

OK. As I posted, it has to do with a 'what-if' worksheet and data
tables. First mention of both.

The CD contains files that have most of the typing done -- I just have
to fill in the problem info -- so I have the setup handy. The scenario
is caclulating mortgage payments for various original amounts and
various payoff times. The example on the instructional page shows an
empty cell at B5 where I plugged in the PMT formula --
PMT(0.09/12,b16*12, -100000). The original amounts are in cells b5:b12
(running from 100000 to 135000). The tems in years are in cells b4:f4
(running from 15 to 30 years). A label in A14 reads "input cells." A15
reads "column:" B15 has 100000 in it. A16 reads "row" and B16 has 15
in it.

The 'example' of using 'Table' to set up data looks like:

Row input cell: Sheet1!$B$15
Column input cell: $E$14

and shows cell E14 selected.

When I select E14 and fill in the dialog with those values, I get
"input cell reference is not valid." When I select cell B5, which
looks like a likely place to start an array of data, I get a sort of
multi-purpose error msg, the relevent bit being "if you clicked on the
Table command of the Data menu, you must select a single rectangle
that is more than one row high and more than one column wide." The
actual directions for this part of the problem read "Create a
two-variable data table by comloeting the Table dialog box."

I obviously don't have a clue what I'm doing.

TIA
 
Your description seems confused, since you say that b5 is both empty and
part of the range of mortgage amounts from 100000 to 135000. Rather
than try to guess what you really meant, Let's try a different example,
that may give you a leg up.

Excel's Help for "Create a one-variable data table" shows the following
contents for B3:C5

9.50% 9%
360 9.25%
80000 9.50%

With the formula
=PMT(B3/12,B4,-B5)
in D2. Select C2:D5 (C2 and D3:D5 are initially blank, but part of the
selection). On the menu choose Data|Table and in the column input cell
box input B3 (which is not part of the table selection). Excel will
then fill in D3:D5 with the results of substituting into the formula
from D2, the interest rates from C3:C5 in place of the the formula's
interest rate from B3.

Jerry
 
Your description seems confused, since you say that b5 is both empty and
part of the range of mortgage amounts from 100000 to 135000. Rather
than try to guess what you really meant, Let's try a different example,
that may give you a leg up.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I meant that B5 was *originally* empty, and I plugged the PMT
formula there. As it happens, I re-read (and re-read) the
instructional material and figured it out. I wasn't selecting the data
range *before* I tried to use Data | Table. Sigh.
 
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