How divide the cell number above

[kevs1]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

I want to divide the cell number above by 12.
I'm new to making formulas. What does one do? thanks.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

I want to divide the cell number above by 12.
I'm new to making formulas. What does one do? thanks.

One way:

A1: <some number>
A2: =A1/12

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

I want to divide the cell number above by 12.
I'm new to making formulas. What does one do? thanks.

Easy. For example, in A2, enter the formula =A1/12 and press enter. You can
also do this by typing the equal sign, then clicking in the cell, then tying
the /12.

 

[kevs1]

thanks guys. To test, I put

120 in A1

then
A2: =A1/12

in A2

but nothing happens, I just see the formula A2: =A1/12
in A2

 

[JE McGimpsey]

thanks guys. To test, I put

120 in A1

then
A2: =A1/12

in A2

but nothing happens, I just see the formula A2: =A1/12
in A2

You probably have cell A2 formatted as Text, which means XL won't try to
interpret it as a formula. Format it as General instead.

Alternatively, you may have the Show Formula preference set. Choose
Preferences/View, and uncheck the Show formula checkbox.

 

[kevs1]

Still does not work,
I have general selected, and show formula not selected:
<http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture2oi1.jpg>

 

[Mike Middleton]

kevs1 -

Cell A2 should contain only

=A1/12

- Mike Middleton
http://www.MikeMiddleton.com

 

[kevs1]

Mike,
thanks for solving this mystery!

 

[kevs1]

Sorry spoke to soon.
the formula worked on a simple test, but then I applied it to the workbook in question and got this:
<http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture1ic7.jpg>

I have a column of 20 or so numbers which have then been totaled using the Sum tool. and below that I put in this formula to get the monthly average. but I get this message. what to do now?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Sorry spoke to soon.
the formula worked on a simple test, but then I applied it to the workbook in
question and got this:
<http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture1ic7.jpg>

I have a column of 20 or so numbers which have then been totaled using the
Sum tool. and below that I put in this formula to get the monthly average.
but I get this message. what to do now?

kevs -

If you reply to your own original post, it's hard to tell what you mean
by "the formula" that worked in one case but not the other. You should
either reply to the post that gave you the suggestion, or include more
information in your reply.

Most of the people responding to questions aren't using the web
interface that you are, so we don't see the thread the way you do.

That said, the error message indicates that you're getting a circular
reference, which means that the range inside your SUM() function
includes the cell in which you're entering the function.

For instance, if you put

=SUM(A:A)

in cell A10, XL would try to sum all the values in column A, then put
that result in cell A10. But that would then increase the SUM() result.
If XL then tried to put that increased amount in cell A10, the SUM() of
the column would increase again...

So try changing the range to SUM() to not include the cell you're
putting the function into.