Worksheet function pg 172 Excel 2002 for Dummies

  • Thread starter Thread starter ltatham
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ltatham

I have followed the instructions on pg. 172-173 of the
Excel 2002 For Dummies, trying to set up a one-input
table. When I get to #5 on pg. 173, the result isn't the
same as the example pictured on pg. 172. I highlight the
correct table range, choose Date>Table, and input =B4 in
the Column input cell field. And instead of getting the
results as pictured in the example:
($535.43) ($19,275.45) ($1,675.34)
($539.42) ($19,419.21) ($1,819.21)
($543.44) ($19,563.73) ($1,963.73)
($547.47) ($19,708.90) ($2,108.90)
($550.52) ($19,854.72) ($2,254.72)
($555.59) ($20,001.19) ($2,401.19)
($559.68) ($20,148.31) ($2,548.31)
($563.76) ($20,296.08) ($2,696.08)
($567.90) ($20,444.49) ($2,844.49)

I get this:
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)
(535.43) (19,275.48) (1,675.34)

Can ANYone tell me how to get the function to perform
properly??

Thanks!
 
Since you haven't said what this is supposed to calculate, and since
most people who answer questions in these groups would be unlikely to
purchase a book called "Excel 2002 for Dummies", I'll guess from the
fact that you repeated the first line of the table in every line, that
these are supposed to be three array formulas. If so, did you use
Ctrl-Shift-Enter to enter them?

I did hypothesize that this might be a loan analysis table for different
interest rates, with the first column being the payment, the second
column being the total of payments, and the third column being the total
interest paid. That worked backwards to loan of $17,600 (with an 11
cent discrepancy in the first row), but the resulting progression of
interest rates didn't seem reasonable for a book example.

Jerry
 
Jerry W. Lewis said:
Since you haven't said what this is supposed to calculate, and since
most people who answer questions in these groups would be unlikely to
purchase a book called "Excel 2002 for Dummies"
Click to expand...

Speak for yourself ;-)
Worksheet functions are great when you want to do something very simple, and
also when you want to avoid the dangers of writing VBA programs (which are
hard to validate even if you're not working in a critical or regulated
environment).

The problem is that because of the way formulas work, a job that starts
simple often needs some complicated workaround. I suppose I'm not the only
one who regularly misses the most simple solution to a problem. So you need
a curious mixture of dummy stuff and the fancy tricks provided by
contributors to this NG.

Have fun!

Regards

, I'll guess from the
 
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