[Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!

[Geoff Moss]

Thanks Mark (and Alex)

You learn something new every day!

The original worksheet had the formula as:   =SUM(A1:A10)
That's why we all (or most of us) jumped at it and thought you must have 
been having one of those days.

Must admit, I hadn't come across the problem before.

Cheers

Geoff Moss
RMIT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Kelly" <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
<itapps at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 4:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!


> Sorry for the confusion all.  The formula was originally sum(a1:a5) - as 
> it should have been - but I forgot to undo Excel's botched "correction" 
> before saving and posting it.
>
> It started as sum(a1:a5)!
>
> The problem is as Alex notes - after filling in A1:A5, Excel starts 
> changing the formula!  That's why it _ended up_ as SUM(A1:A10) - and 
> that's where you entered the story :-)
>
> Cheers
> Mark
>
> Geoff Moss wrote:
>> Hi Mark
>>
>> The formula in A11 is:  =SUM(A1:A10)
>> Hence you are doubling the numbers A6:A10 by including them in the 
>> sub-total for Total B
>>
>> Just a bad formula!
>> Cheers
>>
>> Geoff Moss
>> RMIT
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Kelly" 
>> <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
>> To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
>> <itapps at edulists.com.au>
>> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 2:50 PM
>> Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!
>>
>>
>>> A curious problem with Excel.  Please play with the attached file.
>>>
>>> It seems Excel thinks it knows better than I do about what formulas
>>> should be, and I can't work how how to stop it.  Something to do with
>>> its 'advanced formula error' fixing, I guess.  Very annoying!
>>>
>>> To try it out, just put "1" into each of the shaded cells and watch what
>>> happens to the formula for the total of section A!
>>>
>>> Any ideas for fixes?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>> Mark
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Mark Kelly
>>> Manager - Information Systems
>>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
>>> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
>>> School Phone +613 8520 9000
>>> School Fax +613 95789253
>>> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>>
>>> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
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>>> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
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>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html - 
>> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>> Teachers Association Inc
>>
>>
>
> -- 
> Mark Kelly
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
> McKinnon Rd, McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
> School Phone +613 8520 9000, Fax +613 95789253
> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>
> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>
> 1. Education is an admirable thing, but remember that nothing that is 
> worth knowing can be taught - Oscar Wilde
> 2. I make trouble.  You want some?
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html - 
> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers 
> Association Inc
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 
> 269.14.10/1070 - Release Date: 14/10/2007 9:22 AM
>
>