finding multiple MIN's

[Weekend user]

I am currently using Excel from Office '97. I am using Excel to store and
compute grades for my students. I have several cells that have quiz scores
stored in them and for each grading period I want to exclude 2 or 3 of the
scores, based on how many quizzes were given in the current grading period.
For example, say that the quiz scores are stored in the following cells(same
row): C4,E4,G4,I4,K4; now if I use MIN(C4,E4,G4,I4,K4) it will return the
lowest score in that group of cells; but what I am trying to do is find the
TWO lowest score in the group of cells.
What I was trying to accomplish was adding all the scores in those above
cells with SUM and then subtract the two lowest scores by using MIN, but I
was always finding the same value with MIN. I know it has to do with each
time MIN is invoked it uses the range of cells input to find the lowest, but
is there a way to nest MIN's so that MIN would use a shorter list on the
second iteration? I just don't know.

Any suggestions, comments, advice are appreciated. I don't check the board
everyday, usually every other day or so, but I will see responses as soon as
I can.

 

[Arvi Laanemets]

Hi

=SMALL(Range,1)
=SMALL(Range,2)
etc.


Arvi Laanemets

 

[Biff]

Hi!

Since that range of cells is not contiguous what, if
anything, is in the in-between cells?

If there's nothing or text, you can try this:

=SUM(LARGE(C4:K4,{1,2,3}))

If there are numbers in the in-between cells, you could
use a named range that refers to cells C4,E4,G4,I4,K4:

=SUM(LARGE(Grades,{1,2,3}))

Where GRADES is the named range that refers to
C4,E4,G4,I4,K4.

Biff

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

=SUM(C4,E4,G4,I4,K4,-SMALL((C4,E4,G4,I4,K4),{1,2}))

I thrust you don't calculate such a sum if you just have 3 or 4 scores.