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XL2000: Order of Operations Performed in Formulas

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This article was previously published under Q214316

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Summary

When you combine several operators into a single formula, Microsoft Excel performs the operations in the following order: 
   :                 Range
   space             Intersection
   ,                 Union
   -                 Negation
   %                 Percentage
   ^                 Exponentiation 
   * or /            Multiplication or division
   + or -            Addition or subtraction
   &                 Text operator
   = < > <= >= <>    Comparison operators

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More information

If you want to alter this order, use parentheses to group expressions in your formula. Excel calculates the expression in parentheses, and then uses those results to calculate the formula.

For example, the following formula
=(5*4+2)
returns a value of 22, while the formula
=5*(4+2)
returns a value of 30.

NOTE: This order of operations is different from the order of operations in Lotus 1-2-3.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

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References

For more information about operator precedence, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, type the order in which microsoft excel performs operations in formulas in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about Mathematical Operator Evaluation in Lotus1.2.3 and Microsoft Excel, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, type calculation operators in formulas in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query phrases: raise to the power of math symbols

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Keywords: KB214316, kbinfo, kbhowto

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Article Info
Article ID : 214316
Revision : 5
Created on : 11/5/2003
Published on : 11/5/2003
Exists online : False
Views : 246