iNCREMENTAL SUBTRACTION

[cjlast72]

So here's the question I haven't been able to figure out.

I'm trying to build a master pin chart for locksmith purposes. One of the steps is to subtract the smallest to the next largest number. For example, if the cuts for the three keys are 545, 768, and 332.


Lined up
545
768
332

The first column would be like B1, C1, and D1. I would fist subtract 5 from 3, then 7 from 5. How do I do that on Excel?

 

[Scott Huish]

Quick clarification, subtracting 5 from 3 would result in -2, or did you mean subtract 3 from 5?

 

[cjlast72]

Just absolute numbers. When I do it on the handwritten worksheet, I will look at the first column of key cuts. If the three cuts are the 7, the 5, and the 3, I will first subtract 3 from 5, and get a 2. Then I will subtract the 5 from the 7, and get another 2. The sums, (the two 2s) will be top pins stacked one on tp of the other in the chamber to accommodate the different cuts of the different keys. It doesn't matter of I am subtracting 3 from 5 or 5 from 3, the only acceptable answer is 2. I've already figured the ABS function that eliminates negative numbers, it's more about the incremental subtraction from the smallest number to the next largest and so forth.

 

[Scott Huish]

=ABS(B$1-LARGE(B$2:B$3,3-ROW(A1)))

Copy down and across.

<b>Sheet1</b><br /><br /><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-family:Calibri,Arial; font-size:11pt; background-color:#ffffff; padding-left:2pt; padding-right:2pt; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >1</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td><td style="text-align:right; ">4</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td style="text-align:right; ">7</td><td style="text-align:right; ">6</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >3</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td style="text-align:right; ">2</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >4</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >5</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >6</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >7</td><td style="text-align:right; ">2</td><td style="text-align:right; ">1</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >8</td><td style="text-align:right; ">2</td><td style="text-align:right; ">2</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b>Spreadsheet Formulas</b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >B7</td><td >=ABS(B$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(B$2:B$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(A1)</span>)</span>)</td></tr><tr><td >C7</td><td >=ABS(C$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(C$2:C$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(B1)</span>)</span>)</td></tr><tr><td >D7</td><td >=ABS(D$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(D$2:D$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(C1)</span>)</span>)</td></tr><tr><td >B8</td><td >=ABS(B$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(B$2:B$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(A2)</span>)</span>)</td></tr><tr><td >C8</td><td >=ABS(C$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(C$2:C$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(B2)</span>)</span>)</td></tr><tr><td >D8</td><td >=ABS(D$1-LARGE<span style=' color:008000; '>(D$2:D$3,3-ROW<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(C2)</span>)</span>)</td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000; ">Excel tables to the web >> </span>

 

[cjlast72]

That worked awesome, thank you!