Why is the actual calculation different from actual sample

[Joe]

This is my Formula

=(a1-a2)

a1 = 37.5
a2 = 10

response should be -27.5

But response comes to 28 and under format the sample says 27.5 why ?

 

[Gord Dibben]

You either have a typo or don't understand arithmetic.

37.5 - 10 is 27.5

10 - 37.5 is -27.5

You will see 28 or -28 if formatted to no DP


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Roger Govier]

Hi Joe

The result should be 27.5, not -27.5 for the way tyou have expressed the
formula.
In this case, you don't need the parentheses around the cell references,
just =A1-A2 would suffice.

The reason you are seeing 28, is due to cell formatting.
Right click the cell>Format>Cell>Number>and chose 1 decimal place (or
whatever you require)

 

[JLatham]

Sounds like that the formatting for the cell with the formula in it is simply
set up not to display any decimals, forcing 27.5 to display as 28.
As for "response should be -27.5" - no, not as you've shown it:
A1 = 37.5
A2 = 10
formula =(a1-a2)
is same as =(37.5 - 10)
is same as 27.5
to get -27.5 the formula would need to be =a2-a1 or =(a2-a1)

 

[Billns]

Sounds like that the formatting for the cell with the formula in it is simply
set up not to display any decimals, forcing 27.5 to display as 28.
As for "response should be -27.5" - no, not as you've shown it:
A1 = 37.5
A2 = 10
formula =(a1-a2)
is same as =(37.5 - 10)
is same as 27.5
to get -27.5 the formula would need to be =a2-a1 or =(a2-a1)

We all make missteaks!
I suspect Joe is banging his head against the monitor and saying "Doh!"

Bill