need help with counting items in row/colums

Ok here it is I am try to count the number of time 2 different items show up in the same row in the data set. so I have an example in numbers for you. Lets say I want to know how may times the numbers 2 and 3 show up together in a row. The numbers are all in different cells.
1,2,3
2,3,4
1,3,4

in the example if we count we get the answer would be 2 times.
Now lets count how many times 2 and 4 are together in a row. The answer would be 1 time. I need a formula that would look at the date and give me the answer. I don't know how to do this and have been working on it for a few weeks.
Thanks

Hello andy,

Welcome to excelforum, we'd love to help but we do insist on the rules being adhered to. Rule 1 says that thread titles should accurately describe your problem. "need help with a hard formula" could probably apply to 50% of the questions here - please amend - thanks

Thanks for that andy,

Are the numbers unique within each row? If so then if you have data in A2:C10 this formula will count rows that contain 2 and 3

=SUMPRODUCT((MMULT((A2:C10=2)+(A2:C10=3),{1;1;1})>1)+0)

Note that the {1;1;1} part is determined by the number of columns you have...so for a 4 column range change to {1;1;1;1} etc. That part could be automated within the formula to cope with variable width ranges but it takes some more effort........