computation error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
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Guest

enter following numbers in worksheet (in same sequence)
14189.05
-13605.77
-544.23
-39.05
sum of above
The answer(sum) should be exactly zero. But the answer computed and
displayed is -1.1795E-12
Now change the sequence of numbers and sum them. Answer will be exactly zero.
Any ideas, whats the reason.
Any solution to overcome this - I want to reach an answer of exactly zero
(without changing the sequence).
There are many other combinations of sums in which there is a similar problem.
Please help.
 
change the format of all the cells including result to Number with 2
decimals. It will be zero then. I suppose currently the cells are of general
format.

The sum was 0 on my PC after I changed the formatting.
Hope this helps.
 
No it wasn't, formatting only changes the display so if you format
1.00000002 to 2 decimals it will display as 1.00 but it will still be
1.00000002


You can select precision as displayed under tools>options>calculations but
that can affect other parts of the spreadsheet
 
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