goal seek help

[lablady]

I need to figure how I am going to attain a certain target grade for my computer class with outstanding assignments. It says to use goal seek. I am having trouble figuring out what reference cells to put in. I have my average grade score figured out which includes several blank cells for assignments not yet finished. I have never used goal seek before and I have no idea what I am doing wrong

 

[JulieD]

hi

now without actually doing your homework for you - here's some guidelines

goal seek allows you to set the target value of a formula and give excel one
variable it can alter to reach that target (if at all possible).

therefore you need to create a formula that could result in the target score
you are after ... this is "set cell" value (must be a formula), then in the
"to value" specify the target score you want, and it the "by changing cell"
select one the cell reference of one of the variables in the "set cell"
formula - which excel can change.

e.g. if i had the following
A B C
1 100 20 =A1/B1
i could say
Set cell C1 to 10 by changing B1 - Goal seek will find an "answer" for B1 of
10
or set C1 to 10 by changing A1 - Goal seek will find an "answer" for A1 of
200

let us know how you get on

Cheers
JulieD

I need to figure how I am going to attain a certain target grade for my

computer class with outstanding assignments. It says to use goal seek. I am
having trouble figuring out what reference cells to put in. I have my
average grade score figured out which includes several blank cells for
assignments not yet finished. I have never used goal seek before and I have
no idea what I am doing wrong.

 

[lablady]

Thanks for your help. One more quick question. I have it somewhat figured out but not really. I have 4 assignments that have not been complete. I have my final grade calculated up to this point. What I did for my formula for set cell was to =Sum the cells of the unfinished projects. My target was the grade that I wanted.The changing cell I put one of the cells of a grade I was missing. It calculated it but it put the target grade in as my grade for the one variable cell and it changed my final grade as well. I don't think that is how it is supposed to work. What am I doing wrong?

 

[JulieD]

Hi

Excel can only populate 1 cell (ie one of your missing grades) and yes, if
the final grade is a formula that contains the missing grades then a change
in the missing grades will affect the final grade.

take the following example

A B
1 10
2 20
3 =A1*A2
4 50
5 = B3+A4

if i use goal seek on B3 (set to 500) by changing A2, then B5 will also
change if a solution is found (ie A2 is changed)

Hope this helps
Cheers
JulieD

Thanks for your help. One more quick question. I have it somewhat

figured out but not really. I have 4 assignments that have not been
complete. I have my final grade calculated up to this point. What I did
for my formula for set cell was to =Sum the cells of the unfinished
projects. My target was the grade that I wanted.The changing cell I put one
of the cells of a grade I was missing. It calculated it but it put the
target grade in as my grade for the one variable cell and it changed my
final grade as well. I don't think that is how it is supposed to work.
What am I doing wrong??