Multiplication Bug

[j-me]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

Is there a way to work around the fact that when I ask Excel to multiply 310,676 times 4.22 it gives me 1,310,000 (rather than the correct answer, ie, 1311052.72)?

I see from a Google search that Excel 2007 had multiplication issues that were apparently fixed on the Windows side. I'm assuming this is some version of that same problem (not fixed on the Mac side).

Thanks for any insight.

j

 

[Niek Otten]

If you change the format of the cell containing 4.22 to General and widen the column, you may find that the actual value is
4.216115181089

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

| Version: 2008
| Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
| Processor: intel
|
| Is there a way to work around the fact that when I ask Excel to multiply 310,676 times 4.22 it gives me 1,310,000 (rather than
the correct answer, ie, 1311052.72)?
|
| I see from a Google search that Excel 2007 had multiplication issues that were apparently fixed on the Windows side. I'm
assuming this is some version of that same problem (not fixed on the Mac side).
|
| Thanks for any insight.
|
| j

 

[j-me]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I have this problem even if I enter "4.22." I did check the expansion of the cell as you suggested, to no avail.

If I take a fresh new Excel sheet and put 4.22 in one cell, 310,676 in another and multiply them (eg, =A1*A2)... I get the incorrect answer (ie, 1,310,000) rather than 1,311,052.72.

Best,

j

 

[j-me]

Update: As strange as this seems (I did try it several times before posting).
After doing the "Format > General" thing as suggested... now if I enter 4.22 and 310676 in fresh cells and perform the calculation it gives the correct sum. Very strange. I guess it's working now? Hopefully.

Thanks again.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Update: As strange as this seems (I did try it several times before posting).
After doing the "Format > General" thing as suggested... now if I enter
4.22 and 310676 in fresh cells and perform the calculation it gives the
correct sum. Very strange. I guess it's working now? Hopefully.

It was almost certainly a problem with one or the other cell's having a
value that was rounded in display.