Why does FillDown start giving decimals??

[Ed from AZ]

In XL2007, I entered a simple series down Column A (formatted as
Number with no decimals):
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5

I selected all of this and grabbed the lower right corner and filled
it down until I was at "78". I should have been at Row 156 - but I
was at Row 161!! Some numbers had been entered three times, instead
of only twice. When I selected these numbers, I have decimal places
in the formula box beginning with 6!! What is being displayed on only
the rounded version of the "actual" number Excel sees in the cell.

What is Excel doing to give me decimals!!?!

Ed

 

[Jim Rech]

This doesn't seem to be a type of series that Excel understands. I don't
think it would do well on an IQ test. It seems to be calculating some kind
of average change and extending that. Changing the cell formats to show
more decimal places would make that easier to see.

 

[Dave Peterson]

You could use a formula to avoid the problem.

Put 1 in A1
Put 1 in A2
Put =a1+1 in a3

Select A3 and dragdown.

 

[MartinW]

Hi Ed,

Dave's formula is simpler than this but just to show
other possibilities try this.

Put 1 in A1
Put 1 in B2
Put =A1&B1 in C1
Put =A2&B2 in C2

Then highlight A1:C2 grab the fill handle and drag down.

To tidy up copy col C and Edit>Paste Special>Values
in place and then delete cols. A and B

Use =(A1&B1)*1 if you want numbers rather than text.

HTH
Martin

 

[Ed from AZ]

Thanks to all who responded. I didn't even think of using a formula!!

Cheers!
Ed