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Summation Anomaly

  1. #1
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    Summation Anomaly

    So recently I was summing up a series of numbers and the summation of the numbers has a very small fractional amount in the total.

    Here are the exact numbers I am summing in Excel:

    38,416.50
    (34,575.30)
    (3,841.19)
    (0.01)

    The expected sum of these numbers is 0, but for some reason Excel (and other online calculations like Wolfram Alpha) calculate this as -2.964952935946563 * 10^-12. Try summing these exact numbers yourself, and see what the outcome is when you run the decimal out as far as you can.

    If anyone has an explanation for this, I would finally be able to get some sleep.

    Thank you!!

  2. #2
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    Re: Summation Anomaly

    Floating point error: https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/...sults-in-excel
    https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19957-01..._goldberg.html
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating-point_arithmetic
    or put "floating point error" into your favorite internet search engine.
    Quote Originally Posted by shg
    Mathematics is the native language of the natural world. Just trying to become literate.

  3. #3
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    Re: Summation Anomaly

    They add up to 0 on my spreadsheet as expected.

    "run the decimal out as far as you can"
    What does that mean?
    Regards
    Special-K

    Ensure you describe your problem clearly, I have little time available to solve these problems and do not appreciate numerous changes to them.

  4. #4
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    Re: Summation Anomaly

    Mr Shortly explained it. Thank you!!

    Special-K what I mean is to not display 0.00, but to show 20+ decimal places like 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000 or whatever...

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