[Year 12 IT Apps] Short Answer Q9

[Colin SUTTON]

Hi all

A very able programming student (he won Swingame and writes Java code on the
whiteboard for amusement!) sent me this:
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Hi Mr Sutton,

I have come with a dispute. Question 9 in the multiple choice.

"
Typing the formula =IF(D12<D6,"HOORAY"," ") in D13 returns
A. HOORAY
B. NO MONEY LEFT OVER
C. ""
D. "HOORAY"

Answer is A.

Using the data provided, D12 (total March income) is 1400+150+800 = $2350.
D6 is 2500+30+20 = $2550.

Plugging those figures into the formula gives =IF(2350<2550,"HOORAY"," ").
Since 2350 is less than 2550, the 'true' condition of the IF is calculated:
the literal text *Hooray.*
There are no double quotes displayed in the cell, so it's not D."

The question asks what is returned by the statement, not what is displayed.
I wrote this on the examination paper indicating the difference and the
wording, so this answer in my opinion is wrong. The value it returns is a
string, hence the quotes, but a string is displayed in a cell omits the
quotation marks, but the question does not state "what is displayed" but
rather "what is returned".

Hopefully you can return some light to this.

Cheers,

Josh
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My reply:
Hi Josh

My response is also A.

The STRING    HOORAY   is returned.

You TELL Excel the value for the true is the string HOORAY by typing (and
displaying in the formula)  "HOORAY".

However, I can see your interpretation, but I think the RETURN is HOORAY - a
string. Our CONVENTION is to use the "....".

However, writing on the paper is probably a COMPLETE waste of time.

Anyone with thier ideas?

Regards

COLIN
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