Hi!
Two replies here because the thread has been doubled, so to speak.
First to Doug Camino.
Once you've got your data you will almost certainly need to split it u
into feet and inches.
The principles of adding feet and inches are the same as 1Fishy (o
this site) was seeking for adding pounds and ounces. The solution coul
be the same (except that 12 inches = 1 foot whereas 16 ounces =
pound). Have a look at that post: but you might want to do it i
columns not rows.
For the other correspondent (name unknown):
You probably need to start with some simple basic exercises i
combining numbers in Excel.
For example: put 8 in cell A1 (enter)
Put 9 in cell B1(enter)
Put =A1*B1 in cell C1.(enter)
C1 will read 72.
The * in A1*B1 is the instruction to multiply. The x on the keyboar
doesn't do that job.
The = in front of A1*B1 tells excel to calculate that sum.
It's amazing how quickly you can experiment from such simple beginning
to do more complicated ones. Try playing with some numbers.
But: your second conundrum is enough to make some seasoned veteran
quail!
If you enter 42-1/2x24 Excel will treat this as a word of some kin
(called a string, 'cos it is just a string of symbols). If, on th
other hand, building on what I said above, you put an = sign in fron
of it, you would be surprised by the result.
Excel would object to your x instead of a *: it might offer to chang
it for you. OK. Do that. Answer 30.
It said: this means 42 minus half of 24.
Every symbol has its meaning: everything needs to be properly place
relative to everything else. You used a - as a dash/hyphen/separator
Excel used it only as a minus sign.
So: back to your numbers. I'm going to assume that you meant t
multiply 42 and a half inches by 24 feet. (For those who have sensibl
followed Napoleon and gone metric," is the sign for inches and ' fo
feet).
I suggest you work through in inches and then convert to sq.ft. at th
end (divide by 144).
For the first you need to multiply 42.5 inches by 24*12 inches.
Using the approach I gave you above, put 42.5 in A1: put =24*12 in B
(new trick); put =A1*B1/144 in C1 to get your answer.
The "new trick" just saves you working out 24*12 for yourself.
By the way: should it be 85 sq.ft.? If not, I've misunderstood you.
Al
