Selecting Cells From Column at Random for a Specific Sum Total

Hi!

I have a column with 2156 cells in it. It's just a long, long, long list of numbers.

My challenge:

I need to select cells at random from this column to total a specific sum.

E.G.

2
4
7
8
9
10
12
17
30

This sums 99. But let's say I only want cells that would sum 9.

My options would be 2+7 or 9.

I need to do this with my long long long list of numbers. I've tried googling this and the best I can find is either using the Solver add-in or something called recursion (which seems extremely complicated!).

Does anyone know how I can do this? If I can do it with solver, how?

Thanks,
Anais

Hi there, the method not very smart but anyway, please see attachment.

Press "Start" and input value, it works for sum of two digits.

Is there anyway to adjust that for larger number, up to eight digits?

Hi there, will that digit be present in the column of digits or it might be any digit? Do you need to find all combinations or one will be enough?

I've set up an example of how you can use Solver to pick numbers to total a specific sum.

But looking at solution presented by watersev it seems to me that his recursion model is superior to Solver as it is much more userfriendly and gives more information.

Still you asked for a Solver solution so here is one.

HTH

Alf