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My Problem Is This..........

  1. #1
    Saxman
    Guest

    My Problem Is This..........

    Firstly my problem is mathematical....

    If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
    another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
    best way to represent such a problem?

    If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can I
    best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a fraction?

    This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would require
    the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

  2. #2
    Forum Contributor
    Join Date
    03-13-2005
    Posts
    6,195
    Sounds like homework, but,

    7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
    to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
    and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
    so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.

    to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1 in an area where the lowest number is the better result.



    Quote Originally Posted by Saxman
    Firstly my problem is mathematical....

    If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
    another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
    best way to represent such a problem?

    If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can I
    best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a fraction?

    This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would require
    the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

  3. #3
    duane
    Guest

    RE: My Problem Is This..........

    with the (text) fraction in cell a6

    =IF(ISODD(LEN(A6)),LEFT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1)))/RIGHT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1))),LEFT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1)-1))/RIGHT(A6,(LEN(A6)-FIND("/",A6,1))))

    converts it to a decimal

    "Saxman" wrote:

    > Firstly my problem is mathematical....
    >
    > If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
    > another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
    > best way to represent such a problem?
    >
    > If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can I
    > best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a fraction?
    >
    > This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would require
    > the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.
    >


  4. #4
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: My Problem Is This..........

    Bryan,

    Not disagreeing with what you say, but it may be too simplistic. In some
    situations, a place will carry a weighting. So a 1st, 2nd and a 3rd may
    weight more highly than 3 2nds. As so often happens, the true answer is ...
    it depends ... :-)

    --

    HTH

    RP
    (remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


    "Bryan Hessey" <[email protected]>
    wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >
    > Sounds like homework, but,
    >
    > 7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much
    > maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
    > to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
    > and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
    > so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.
    >
    > to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1
    > in an area where the lowest number is the better result.
    >
    >
    >
    > Saxman Wrote:
    > > Firstly my problem is mathematical....
    > >
    > > If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
    > > another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
    > > best way to represent such a problem?
    > >
    > > If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can
    > > I
    > > best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a
    > > fraction?
    > >
    > > This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would
    > > require
    > > the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

    >
    >
    > --
    > Bryan Hessey
    > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    > Bryan Hessey's Profile:

    http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
    > View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=393545
    >




  5. #5
    CLR
    Guest

    Re: My Problem Is This..........

    And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's one
    thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and it's
    quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in their
    prime............

    Vaya con Dios,
    Chuck, CABGx3



    "Bryan Hessey" <[email protected]>
    wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >
    > Sounds like homework, but,
    >
    > 7th of 17 is less of less merit than 4th of 10, but you don't need much
    > maths to prove that, simply convert 4/10 to 17ths
    > to make 10 into 17 you multiply by 1.7,
    > and 4 * 1.7 = 6.8
    > so 4th of 10 is = to 6.8th of 17, just ahead of 7th.
    >
    > to use decimal, 4/10 = .4 whereas 7/17 = .4117647 and last will be = 1
    > in an area where the lowest number is the better result.
    >
    >
    >
    > Saxman Wrote:
    > > Firstly my problem is mathematical....
    > >
    > > If a horse in a race finishes 7/17 (seventh of seventeen runners) and
    > > another horse finishes 4/10, which has the greater merit? What is the
    > > best way to represent such a problem?
    > >
    > > If I import such fractions into Excel from a web page as text, how can
    > > I
    > > best convert such data for mathematical manipulation, or back to a
    > > fraction?
    > >
    > > This could be a problem where a horse finishes 17/17 as it would
    > > require
    > > the first two digits (rather than one) to be selected.

    >
    >
    > --
    > Bryan Hessey
    > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    > Bryan Hessey's Profile:

    http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
    > View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=393545
    >




  6. #6
    Saxman
    Guest

    Re: My Problem Is This..........

    CLR wrote:
    > And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's one
    > thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and it's
    > quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in their
    > prime............
    >


    I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
    determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
    etc.

  7. #7
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: My Problem Is This..........

    I think what Chuck is saying and what I am saying is that there are many
    answers to this question, If it a homework question, then you should think
    about the circumstances in which it would be applied, and analyse and
    present on the many options. I don't feel we are doing it for you, just
    advising you to think of the possibilities, and research each.

    --

    HTH

    RP
    (remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


    "Saxman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > CLR wrote:
    > > And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's

    one
    > > thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and

    it's
    > > quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in

    their
    > > prime............
    > >

    >
    > I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
    > determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
    > etc.




  8. #8
    CLR
    Guest

    Re: My Problem Is This..........

    You got the idea..............and don't forget DISTANCE............top-notch
    SPRINTERS usually don't make good long-distance runners..........and
    vice-versa..................it is indeed a multi-faceted problem, worthy of
    many considerations.

    Vaya con Dios,
    Chuck, CABGx3






    "Saxman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > CLR wrote:
    > > And, in judging past performances, don't forget CLASS............it's

    one
    > > thing for a horse to be FIRST against a bunch of crippled plodders, and

    it's
    > > quite something else to be only THIRD against the best contenders in

    their
    > > prime............
    > >

    >
    > I totally agree, but you gotta start somewhere! Class could be
    > determined by prize money won, position attained in highest class ran in
    > etc.




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