Simple calc not working as expected - what am I missing?

[MarianneS40]

This is probably something so simple, but I can't figure it out, can someone
help?

I'm trying to deduct a range of values from the first value in the row:

A4 B4 C4 D4
200 50 60 10

The formula is in D5 and looks like this: =SUM(A4-B44)

The answer SHOULD be 80, but the formula says 190.

I've also tried =SUM(A4-(B44)), same issue.

I know there are ways I can work around this, but am curious why this
doesn't seem to be working?

 

[T. Valko]

Try it like this:

=A4-SUM(B44)

 

[Per Jessen]

Hi

Try this:

=A4-SUM(B44)

Regards,
Per

 

[Gary''s Student]

=A4-SUM(B44)

 

[YESHWANT]

Hi MarianneS40

the formula should be :
=A4-sum(B44)

click yes below, if it helps

 

[Brad]

How do you get the original formula to work - doesn't it give you a value
error?

 

[T. Valko]

How do you get the original formula to work

doesn't it give you a value error?

Depends on where the formula is entered.

The formula is in D5

So, what's happening is A4 minus D4 (200-10) = 190

Try putting the formula in E5 then you'll get #VALUE!

The reason it returns a number when entered in cell D5 is because the
formula is entered in a column that directly intersects a cell in the
referenced range, D4.

 

[MarianneS40]

Hi all,
Thank you for the responses - Missed all of this because Outlook stuck the
reply email into my Junk Email folder ... And accessing this forum is for
some reason extremely cumbersome - IE crashing, logging in, can't find my
topic, then can find it, it's not a good experience.

Meanwhile with regard to the formula - I appreciate everyone giving me the
correct formula; however, I don't understand why the original formula
wouldn't work, as it follows all the 'rules' of the SUM function.... This
seems like an Excel shortcoming to me. And I am imagining that this worked in
previous versions, but could definitely be mistaken there.

Anyway, thanks for all the help.
Cheers,
Marianne