Calculating Date difference in 2 ways

Hi,

If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)

But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get is
in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)

Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
approaches.

Regards,
Hari
India

Format Cell (B1) as a Number.

"Hari" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
> then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)
>
> But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
> where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get is
> in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)
>
> Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
> approaches.
>
> Regards,
> Hari
> India
>

Excel's guess of the result type is wrong. Just format the formula cell
as General.

Hari wrote:
> Hi,
>
> If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
> then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)
>
> But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
> where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get is
> in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)
>
> Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
> approaches.
>
> Regards,
> Hari
> India
>

Hi Jim and Aladin,

I have not written my initial query properly.

My doubt is that inspite of the same formulas and with both A1 and B1 having
no previous formating, what causes excel to interpret these 2 approaches as
being different. Is there some logical reason for the same.

Regards,
Hari
India

"Aladin Akyurek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Excel's guess of the result type is wrong. Just format the formula cell
> as General.
>
> Hari wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
> > then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)
> >
> > But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
> > where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get is
> > in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)
> >
> > Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
> > approaches.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Hari
> > India
> >

Hari wrote:
> Hi Jim and Aladin,
>
> I have not written my initial query properly.
>
> My doubt is that inspite of the same formulas and with both A1 and B1 having
> no previous formating, what causes excel to interpret these 2 approaches as
> being different. Is there some logical reason for the same.
>
> Regards,
> Hari
> India
>
> "Aladin Akyurek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Excel's guess of the result type is wrong. Just format the formula cell
>>as General.
>>
>>Hari wrote:
>>

The second formula references cells whose formats are dates. Excel
apparently uses that format info in its guess what the format of the
result will be.

>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
>>>then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)
>>>
>>>But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
>>>where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get is
>>>in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)
>>>
>>>Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
>>>approaches.
>>>
>>>Regards,
>>>Hari
>>>India
>>>
>
>
>

Hi Hari,

Some number formats in source cells are echoes in targets. This is a
built-in
feature, weather you like it or not.

E.g.: if you multiply $5 by 2, the result automatically will be $10.

Frans

"Hari" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:uCWT$%23z%[email protected]...
> Hi Jim and Aladin,
>
> I have not written my initial query properly.
>
> My doubt is that inspite of the same formulas and with both A1 and B1
having
> no previous formating, what causes excel to interpret these 2 approaches
as
> being different. Is there some logical reason for the same.
>
> Regards,
> Hari
> India
>
> "Aladin Akyurek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Excel's guess of the result type is wrong. Just format the formula cell
> > as General.
> >
> > Hari wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > If in cell A1 I write -- = today() - date(2004,12,31)
> > > then the answer I get is a number ( let's say 14 or 15)
> > >
> > > But if in cell B1 If i write -- = C1 - D1
> > > where C1 -- = Today() and D1 -- = date(2004,12,31), the answer I get
is
> > > in date format (in excel's 1900 base year)
> > >
> > > Why is there a diference in formatting of results between the above 2
> > > approaches.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Hari
> > > India
> > >
>
>