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Order of calculation

  1. #1
    Louise
    Guest

    Order of calculation

    Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in which
    Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in the
    calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in order to
    tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than 2
    operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.

    Any help would be appreciated.
    Thank you.

    Louise

  2. #2
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    BODMAS

    Brackets
    Of
    Divide
    Multiply
    Add
    Subtract

    --
    HTH

    Bob Phillips

    (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)

    "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in which
    > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in the
    > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in order

    to
    > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than 2
    > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    >
    > Any help would be appreciated.
    > Thank you.
    >
    > Louise




  3. #3
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    Sorry, I meant Order not Of

    --
    HTH

    Bob Phillips

    (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)

    "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in which
    > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in the
    > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in order

    to
    > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than 2
    > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    >
    > Any help would be appreciated.
    > Thank you.
    >
    > Louise




  4. #4
    Louise
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    hello, thank you for your reply.
    Unfortunately, this doesn't really help me. I am already aware of the
    actual order, what I am unsure of is where the different sets of brackets go
    when the calculation contains more than two operators.

    Louise

    "Bob Phillips" wrote:

    > BODMAS
    >
    > Brackets
    > Of
    > Divide
    > Multiply
    > Add
    > Subtract
    >
    > --
    > HTH
    >
    > Bob Phillips
    >
    > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    >
    > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in which
    > > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in the
    > > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in order

    > to
    > > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than 2
    > > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    > >
    > > Any help would be appreciated.
    > > Thank you.
    > >
    > > Louise

    >
    >
    >


  5. #5
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    That depends upon what order you want them to be processed.

    --
    HTH

    Bob Phillips

    (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)

    "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > hello, thank you for your reply.
    > Unfortunately, this doesn't really help me. I am already aware of the
    > actual order, what I am unsure of is where the different sets of brackets

    go
    > when the calculation contains more than two operators.
    >
    > Louise
    >
    > "Bob Phillips" wrote:
    >
    > > BODMAS
    > >
    > > Brackets
    > > Of
    > > Divide
    > > Multiply
    > > Add
    > > Subtract
    > >
    > > --
    > > HTH
    > >
    > > Bob Phillips
    > >
    > > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    > >
    > > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in

    which
    > > > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in

    the
    > > > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in

    order
    > > to
    > > > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than

    2
    > > > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    > > >
    > > > Any help would be appreciated.
    > > > Thank you.
    > > >
    > > > Louise

    > >
    > >
    > >




  6. #6
    Louise
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    A basic example........

    My calculation is =10+10*2+2*10

    My total should therefore be 420.

    Where do the brackets go, and why, in order to get to the right answer???

    Louise



    "Bob Phillips" wrote:

    > That depends upon what order you want them to be processed.
    >
    > --
    > HTH
    >
    > Bob Phillips
    >
    > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    >
    > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > hello, thank you for your reply.
    > > Unfortunately, this doesn't really help me. I am already aware of the
    > > actual order, what I am unsure of is where the different sets of brackets

    > go
    > > when the calculation contains more than two operators.
    > >
    > > Louise
    > >
    > > "Bob Phillips" wrote:
    > >
    > > > BODMAS
    > > >
    > > > Brackets
    > > > Of
    > > > Divide
    > > > Multiply
    > > > Add
    > > > Subtract
    > > >
    > > > --
    > > > HTH
    > > >
    > > > Bob Phillips
    > > >
    > > > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    > > >
    > > > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way in

    > which
    > > > > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in

    > the
    > > > > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit, in

    > order
    > > > to
    > > > > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more than

    > 2
    > > > > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    > > > >
    > > > > Any help would be appreciated.
    > > > > Thank you.
    > > > >
    > > > > Louise
    > > >
    > > >
    > > >

    >
    >
    >


  7. #7
    Roelof van Wyk
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    =((10+10)*2+2)*10

    Normal arithmatic applies x / + -

  8. #8
    Bob Phillips
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    If you know how to do it on paper, do the same in Excel

    =((10+10)*2+2)*10

    --
    HTH

    Bob Phillips

    (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)

    "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > A basic example........
    >
    > My calculation is =10+10*2+2*10
    >
    > My total should therefore be 420.
    >
    > Where do the brackets go, and why, in order to get to the right answer???
    >
    > Louise
    >
    >
    >
    > "Bob Phillips" wrote:
    >
    > > That depends upon what order you want them to be processed.
    > >
    > > --
    > > HTH
    > >
    > > Bob Phillips
    > >
    > > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    > >
    > > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > hello, thank you for your reply.
    > > > Unfortunately, this doesn't really help me. I am already aware of the
    > > > actual order, what I am unsure of is where the different sets of

    brackets
    > > go
    > > > when the calculation contains more than two operators.
    > > >
    > > > Louise
    > > >
    > > > "Bob Phillips" wrote:
    > > >
    > > > > BODMAS
    > > > >
    > > > > Brackets
    > > > > Of
    > > > > Divide
    > > > > Multiply
    > > > > Add
    > > > > Subtract
    > > > >
    > > > > --
    > > > > HTH
    > > > >
    > > > > Bob Phillips
    > > > >
    > > > > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    > > > >
    > > > > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > > > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way

    in
    > > which
    > > > > > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator

    in
    > > the
    > > > > > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit,

    in
    > > order
    > > > > to
    > > > > > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more

    than
    > > 2
    > > > > > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.
    > > > > >
    > > > > > Any help would be appreciated.
    > > > > > Thank you.
    > > > > >
    > > > > > Louise
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > >

    > >
    > >
    > >




  9. #9
    Louise
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    so, the brackets around 10+10 tells Excel to do that bit first, before it
    continues with the rest of the calculation.
    What do the brackets around 10+10*2+2 tell Excel to do?
    Is it always the very last part of the calculation that doesn't have
    brackets around it?

    As you can probably tell, maths was never my strongest point and I don't
    understand what the second set of bracets are instructing Excel to do.

    Thanks again.
    Louise

    "Roelof van Wyk" wrote:

    > =((10+10)*2+2)*10
    >
    > Normal arithmatic applies x / + -
    >


  10. #10
    Dominic LeVasseur
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    Louise,

    Perhaps you could think of the parentheses as a way to tell Excel to do THIS
    "first", or "independently".

    So your formula:

    =10+10*2+2*10

    Without parentheses, the normal order of operation, Left to Right, would
    apply.

    X / + -

    So 10*2 would happen first, then 2*10. Then 10 + 20 (the result of 10*2).
    Then 30 (the result of the former) plus 20 (the result of 2*10).

    In other words, all Multiplication first, then all the addition.

    With parentheses:

    =((10+10)*2+2)*10

    Remember the parentheses say do this "first", or "independently".

    The 10+10 is inside its own set of parentheses, so that tells Excel to do
    this independently, which comes up with 20. Then we have a *2+2. Remember
    left to right, * comes before +, so then we do a *2. This gives us 40. Then
    we add two (because the +2 comes inside the larger set of parentheses, we do
    this before the *10). This gives us 42. Then we do the *10.

    Does that help at all?



    "Louise" wrote:

    > so, the brackets around 10+10 tells Excel to do that bit first, before it
    > continues with the rest of the calculation.
    > What do the brackets around 10+10*2+2 tell Excel to do?
    > Is it always the very last part of the calculation that doesn't have
    > brackets around it?
    >
    > As you can probably tell, maths was never my strongest point and I don't
    > understand what the second set of bracets are instructing Excel to do.
    >
    > Thanks again.
    > Louise
    >
    > "Roelof van Wyk" wrote:
    >
    > > =((10+10)*2+2)*10
    > >
    > > Normal arithmatic applies x / + -
    > >


  11. #11
    David Biddulph
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > "Bob Phillips" wrote:


    >> "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...


    >> > "Bob Phillips" wrote:


    >> > > (replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)
    >> > >
    >> > > "Louise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> > > news:[email protected]...
    >> > > > Does anybody know of a good website which has examples of the way
    >> > > > in

    >> which
    >> > > > Excel performs calculations when there is more than one operator in

    >> the
    >> > > > calculation? I understand the brackets go around the 'easy' bit,
    >> > > > in

    >> order
    >> > > to
    >> > > > tell Excel to do that bit first, but if the calculation has more
    >> > > > than

    >> 2
    >> > > > operators, I don't know where the other sets of brackets go.


    >> > > BODMAS
    >> > >
    >> > > Brackets
    >> > > Of
    >> > > Divide
    >> > > Multiply
    >> > > Add
    >> > > Subtract


    >> > hello, thank you for your reply.
    >> > Unfortunately, this doesn't really help me. I am already aware of the
    >> > actual order, what I am unsure of is where the different sets of
    >> > brackets

    >> go
    >> > when the calculation contains more than two operators.


    >> That depends upon what order you want them to be processed.


    >A basic example........
    >
    > My calculation is =10+10*2+2*10
    >
    > My total should therefore be 420.
    >
    > Where do the brackets go, and why, in order to get to the right answer???


    It looks as if you want
    =((10+10)*2+2)*10

    It sounds as if, to get what *you* have defined as the right answer, you
    want each operation in the order in which they are listed, rather than in
    the order of precedence which Bob gave you.
    To be on the safe side, you could, if you wish, put brackets round each
    operation in turn:
    =(((10+10)*2)+2)*10

    .... but you can omit the brackets where the conventional order of precedence
    doesn't need the brackets (such as where the multiply takes precedence over
    the subsequent addition).

    If your calculation is really
    =10+10*2+2*10
    the *right* answer is 50.
    --
    David Biddulph



  12. #12

    Re: Order of calculation

    Louise wrote:
    > so, the brackets around 10+10 tells Excel to do that bit first,
    > before it continues with the rest of the calculation.
    > What do the brackets around 10+10*2+2 tell Excel to do?
    > Is it always the very last part of the calculation that doesn't
    > have brackets around it?


    No. I suggest that you use Excel Help. Enter "operator precedence"
    and select the link "The order in which Excel performs operation".
    Hopefully that clarifies things for you.

    > As you can probably tell, maths was never my strongest point
    >and I don't understand what the second set of bracets are
    > instructing Excel to do.
    > [....]
    > "Roelof van Wyk" wrote:
    > > =((10+10)*2+2)*10


    Notice that that could be written 10*((10+10)*2+2), demonstrating
    that it is not always "the very last part of the calculation that
    doesn't have brackets [sic] around it".

    As you read left to right, when you see a right parenthesis,
    evaluate everything left-to-right until you encounter the matching
    left parenthesis. So, first we do "10+10" (20), then we evalutate
    "20*2 + 2" (42), and finally we do "42*10" (420). The key is: we
    do "20*2" before we do "...+2". If we wanted to do "2+2" before
    we do "20*...", we would have to write (10+10)*(2+2)*10, which
    yields 20*4*10 = 800.


  13. #13
    Louise
    Guest

    Re: Order of calculation

    Hello.

    Thank you very much for explaining this to me, yes this makes it clearer.

    Thanks again.
    Louise

    "Dominic LeVasseur" wrote:

    > Louise,
    >
    > Perhaps you could think of the parentheses as a way to tell Excel to do THIS
    > "first", or "independently".
    >
    > So your formula:
    >
    > =10+10*2+2*10
    >
    > Without parentheses, the normal order of operation, Left to Right, would
    > apply.
    >
    > X / + -
    >
    > So 10*2 would happen first, then 2*10. Then 10 + 20 (the result of 10*2).
    > Then 30 (the result of the former) plus 20 (the result of 2*10).
    >
    > In other words, all Multiplication first, then all the addition.
    >
    > With parentheses:
    >
    > =((10+10)*2+2)*10
    >
    > Remember the parentheses say do this "first", or "independently".
    >
    > The 10+10 is inside its own set of parentheses, so that tells Excel to do
    > this independently, which comes up with 20. Then we have a *2+2. Remember
    > left to right, * comes before +, so then we do a *2. This gives us 40. Then
    > we add two (because the +2 comes inside the larger set of parentheses, we do
    > this before the *10). This gives us 42. Then we do the *10.
    >
    > Does that help at all?
    >
    >
    >
    > "Louise" wrote:
    >
    > > so, the brackets around 10+10 tells Excel to do that bit first, before it
    > > continues with the rest of the calculation.
    > > What do the brackets around 10+10*2+2 tell Excel to do?
    > > Is it always the very last part of the calculation that doesn't have
    > > brackets around it?
    > >
    > > As you can probably tell, maths was never my strongest point and I don't
    > > understand what the second set of bracets are instructing Excel to do.
    > >
    > > Thanks again.
    > > Louise
    > >
    > > "Roelof van Wyk" wrote:
    > >
    > > > =((10+10)*2+2)*10
    > > >
    > > > Normal arithmatic applies x / + -
    > > >


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