Calculation error with merged cells

[Reverendmez]

Hi,
I have experienced a problem with a calculation using a value in a merged cell. The calculation was this
=((H481*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))

and E481 was three cells merged together. At some point during the use of the spread-sheet the value in E431 got divided by 3. It is no longer happening, but we know it was happening as results from the sheet were recorded elsewhere. The spreadsheet is used by several users, on several computer terminals and with several versions of excel installed.

Does anyone know how this could have happened?

Thanks.

 

[AlanY]

Hi,
I have experienced a problem with a calculation using a value in a merged cell. The calculation was this
=((H481*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))

and E481 was three cells merged together. At some point during the use of the spread-sheet the value in E431 got divided by 3. It is no longer happening, but we know it was happening as results from the sheet were recorded elsewhere. The spreadsheet is used by several users, on several computer terminals and with several versions of excel installed.

Does anyone know how this could have happened?

Thanks.

what do you mean by that? I take it it's Cell E481
the value in E431 got divided by 3

 

[Reverendmez]

Yes, sorry I meant E481.

Thanks

 

[AlanY]

but what do you mean by
the value in E481 got divided by 3

 

[Reverendmez]

but what do you mean by
the value in E481 got divided by 3

Sorry for the confusion, it's difficult to describe a spreadsheet in words.

These were results run in triplicate. There were three cells using the calculation =((H481*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))so H481 to H483 were being corrected for moisture content which was the value in E481 (merged from E481 to E483) i.e. the same value for all three replicates. So I481 to I483 contained calculations as follows:
=((H481*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))
=((H482*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))
=((H483*1000)*(100/(100-E481)))
The three moisture corrected values were obtained in cells I481 to I483. The average of I481 to I483 was then calculated using =AVERAGE(I481:I483)

I can't tell exactly what happened as the spreadsheet now gives the correct results, but average results which were copied into reports show incorrect answers. The only way I can arrive at the answers we recorded previously is to enter =((H481*1000)*(100/(100-E481/3))) etc. into I481 to I483.

It seems unlikely that anyone accidentally entered that mistake three times over and you can't copy it down it doesn't work out the same.