The LEFT Function

[Guest]

Hi,
Why can't I treat the result of the LEFT function as a number (if taken from
a string of numbers) and not as a string?
I tried format cells but to no avail.

Thanks,
Assaf.

 

[Bernard Liengme]

LEFT returns text; convert text to number with a pair of negation operators;
=--LEFT(A1,3)
best wishes

 

[Guest]

If A1 contains 123abc then=--LEFT(A1,3) gets you the number (as a number)

The double minus sign is a very common trick

 

[Guest]

Thank you Bernard & Gary's Student - u've been most helpful!