Specifying number of cells to count?

[Jerry McM]

Does anyone know if there is a way to get excel to count/sum a specific number of cells in an array from a fixed point within that array?

Putting the formula I want into words would look something like this:

=SUM(A1:TEN CELLS TO THE RIGHT)

So I want it to start at cell A1 and sum up all the values to 10 cells to the right. The reason I can't simply write =SUM(A1:J1), is that the number 10 is a variable that I want to be able to change. Instead of typing "10" in the formula, I will reference a cell with that value in it, which I want to be able to change at will.

I hope this is clear!!

[daddylonglegs]

If you have your variable in A3 then you can use this formula to sum from A1 for that number of cells

=SUM(A1:INDEX(1:1,A3))