Looking in different columns for date

[Hazel]

I am tearing my hair out in trying to find a formula for
my spreadsheet. This is my problem.
I have 5 columns that could possible have hours typed into
them as data, although there will only be one column that
will have a figure in it at any one time. I need to be
able to multiply this with a hourly rate that will be in
another column. I am able to create a simple formula to
multiply one with the other, but how do I set up a formula
that will look at each column in turn and when it finds
the data to multiply this figure with the hourly rate. My
problem is that I do not know which columns has the hours
in it, could be columns A in one row and C in another.
I would be eternally grateful for a solution.
Many, many thanks.
Hazel

 

[J.E. McGimpsey]

One way:

If the other cells are guaranteed to be blank, try:

=SUM(A2:E2) * F2

where A2:E2 are your 5 data cells and F2 is your hourly rate.