Why does "=SUM(E4,E8,E11,E14,E17)" display as text?

[blessed grandma]

I have entered this formula in a spreadsheet and wonder why it displays the
formula "=SUM(E4,E8,E11,E14,E17)" as text?

 

[ryguy7272]

Right-click the cells you are referencing, and the cell you are doing your
calculation in. Select Format Cells. are any of those cells formatted as
Text? Format as General and try again.

HTH,
Ryan---

 

[L. Howard Kittle]

You show the example in quotes...

If using quotes in the sheet, then remove them, although I suspect you are
just using quotes in your post and not in the worksheet.

HTH
Regards,
Howard

 

[Max]

Most likely is that your formula cell was earlier (unknown to you of course)
pre-formatted as TEXT. Reformat the cell to either general or number (via
clicking Format>Cells ..), and then reconfirm the formula, ie: click inside
the formula bar, press ENTER, and all would be well.

Another possibility, albeit remote, is that you are in formula view. Press
CTRL+` to toggle it back to normal. The ` key is the one just to the left of
the "1" on your keyboard.

Success? hit the YES below
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
Downloads:27,000 Files:200 Subscribers:70
xdemechanik

 

[blessed grandma]

Yes, the quotes were only in the post. The first response helped - apparently
somewhere in the field of cells there was a cell formatted as text instead of
numeric even though I thought I had the whole thing formatted as numbers.