Math operation

[Marc]

C10+C21+H10-H21 is not equal to (C10+C21)-(H10+h21)

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
and why should it be???

 

[JE McGimpsey]

True. The addition operator (+) and the subtraction operator (-) have
the same precedence in XL, so they are evaluated stepwise left to right:

=C10+C21+H10-H21

is equivalent to

=(C10+C21)+H10-H21

is equivalent to

=((C10+C21)+H10)-H21

To achieve your second example, you need to use parentheses.

For more, see

The order in which Microsoft Excel performs operations in formulas

in XL Help.

 

[hgrove]

JE McGimpsey wrote...

True. The addition operator (+) and the subtraction operator (-)
have the same precedence in XL, so they are evaluated
stepwise left to right:

Precedence (same for + and -) and associativity (left to right fo
both) are not the same thing.

=C10+C21+H10-H21

is equivalent to

=(C10+C21)+H10-H21

is equivalent to

=((C10+C21)+H10)-H21

So far so good.

To achieve your second example, you need to use parentheses.

...

Not quite. If the OP should be taken literally as wanting

(C10+C21)-(H10+H21)

as per

then adding parentheses to

C10+C21+H10-H21

to make

C10+C21+(H10-H21)

does not good. Replacing the third + with - would suffice.

C10+C21-H10-H2

 

[JE McGimpsey]

True, I misread the OP's example...

Thanks for the correction!