Problems with a minus value

[Russ]

Hey, anyone with an answer can reply to this one.

I have a spreadsheet with a number of formulas, a couple
of which are additions or subtractions. Now, the problem
is this: In one cell (C1) I have a value of "3200", in the
cell (C2) below I have a value of "-200" due to other
calculation formulas. The resulting cell (C3) should have
the value of (C1) - (C2), which would be "3000". However,
the resulting value in cell (C3) is "3400". Why is that?
And how can I resolve this issue? Any time a value of
minus anything is subtracted from a value in another cell
the resulting values goes up (increases) equal to the
minus value being subtracted.

Any answers or solutions to this mystery will be welcome.

Thanks,

 

[Paul]

Hey, anyone with an answer can reply to this one.

I have a spreadsheet with a number of formulas, a couple
of which are additions or subtractions. Now, the problem
is this: In one cell (C1) I have a value of "3200", in the
cell (C2) below I have a value of "-200" due to other
calculation formulas. The resulting cell (C3) should have
the value of (C1) - (C2), which would be "3000". However,
the resulting value in cell (C3) is "3400". Why is that?
And how can I resolve this issue? Any time a value of
minus anything is subtracted from a value in another cell
the resulting values goes up (increases) equal to the
minus value being subtracted.

Any answers or solutions to this mystery will be welcome.

Thanks,

This isn't a mystery at all - it's correct!
If you start with 3200 and subtract 200 you get 3000.
If you start with 3200 and subtract -200 you get 3400. Subtracting a
negative number is the same as adding a positive one. That's how maths
works!

If you want to make a number always be positive, use the ABS function. For
example, consider the formula
=ABS(A1)
If A1 is 20 the formula will return 20.
If A1 is -20 the formula will also return 20.

 

[Arvi Laanemets]

Hi

Or
A1=3400; A2=200
C3=A1-A2
or
A1=3400; A2=-200
C3=A1+A2 or C3=SUM(A1:A2)

 

[Rus]

Paul:

Thanks, for your reply post. Of course, it makes perfect
sense, only, I did not figure that that was what was
happening within Excel. Your ABS reference suggestion
should work nicely.

Thanks, again.....