question for Excel experts

[cthomer5000]

Maybe this is easier than it seems to me, but I cannot figure out how to do this:

I've got two columns of numbers, both containing positive and negative numbers.

What's the easiest way for me to calculate the difference between the two numbers?

For example, A and B would be my numbers, C would be the result. Is this possible?

A B C
1 -2 3
24 5 19

[cthomer5000]

the more i think this through, i guess i'm looking to solve for C, right?

A + C = B

I'm shaking off about 8 years of mental rust on my math skills....

edit, well this would work to a degree.... i could just use the absolute value of C when done to get my intended results.

[Scarecrow]

+ABS(B1-A1)

[cthomer5000]

thank you.

[terpkristin]

in C1, put =A1-B1
Then copy the formula for the rest of the cells...

/tk

[terpkristin]

Dola,
What I typed will give you the real difference (first column - second column)
What Scarecrow said gives absolute value of difference.

/tk

[Logan]

You're not really showing people the value of a Rutgers education CT.

Just kidding .

12 PM tomorrow!!!

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Logan

You're not really showing people the value of a Rutgers education CT.

Just kidding .

12 PM tomorrow!!!

1-0 Baby.... 1-0 after tomorrow.

[Raven]

TK and Scarecrow are actually both wrong. A combination of the two is correct though.

Abs(A-B) is the correct equation

[gottimd]

He never said he was trying get the absolute value so how could they be wrong?

[terpkristin]

Mine is the straight subtraction. I took him literally when he said "difference."

=A1-B1

I stand by what I said.

/tk

[Raven]

Originally Posted by gottimd

He never said he was trying get the absolute value so how could they be wrong?

He did say these were answers he was looking for.

A B C
1 -2 3
24 5 19

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Raven

TK and Scarecrow are actually both wrong. A combination of the two is correct though.

Abs(A-B) is the correct equation

and in what is yours different from what Scarecrow wrote?

FM

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by Raven

TK and Scarecrow are actually both wrong. A combination of the two is correct though.

Abs(A-B) is the correct equation

ABS(A-B) = ABS(B-A)

[Raven]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

and in what is yours different from what Scarecrow wrote?

FM

Actually, you are right. Scarecrow's and mine produce the same numbers.


TK is still wrong though.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Raven

He did say these were answers he was looking for.

A B C
1 -2 3
24 5 19

Yes, but why do you assume that is absolute value?

1- -2 =3
24-5=19

If he would have put

-2 0 2
then I could see he wanted absolute value. But what he has pointed out is merely basic subtraction rules.

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Mine is the straight subtraction. I took him literally when he said "difference."

=A1-B1

I stand by what I said.

/tk

The problem with your equation is that if the number in column A is 1 and the number in column B is 4, yours will give a result of -3; the difference is 3.

[Raven]

It's like distance in 1-D. The difference is the length between two points.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

The problem with your equation is that if the number in column A is 1 and the number in column B is 4, yours will give a result of -3; the difference is 3.

How do you know that, unless he added an additional column/row that had a negative result as a positive number.

I think everyone is right, its just some are using different assumptions.

[gottimd]

What's the easiest way for me to calculate the difference between the two numbers?

Subtract the two like Tk said

What's the easiest way for me to calculate the difference between the two numbers and have the result always be a positive integer?

The abs formula's

[FrogMan]

as per dictionary.com:

dif·fer·ence ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dfr-ns, dfrns)
n.

1. The quality or condition of being unlike or dissimilar.
2. 2. An instance of disparity or unlikeness.
   3. A degree or amount by which things differ.
   4. A specific point or element that distinguishes one thing from another.
3. A noticeable change or effect: Exercise has made a difference in her health.
4. 2. A disagreement or controversy.
   3. A cause of a disagreement or controversy.
5. Discrimination in taste or choice; distinction.
6. Mathematics.
   2. The amount by which one quantity is greater or less than another.
   3. The amount that remains after one quantity is subtracted from another.
7. Archaic. A distinct mark or peculiarity.

So going purely on semantics, both scarecrow (part a of above definition, point 6) and tk (part b of above definition, point 6) were right. End of discussion

FM

[finkenst]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

The problem with your equation is that if the number in column A is 1 and the number in column B is 4, yours will give a result of -3; the difference is 3.

you are not correct.

The mathematical definition of difference is c=(a-b). C is the difference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtraction

TK hit it spot on...


math geeks stick together.


--tim

[Logan]

Can we divert this thread into a discussion of Rutgers football already?

[cthomer5000]

Somehow an innocent question turned into a math geek gang war.

[terpkristin]

Well, which is it you're looking for, CT? An absolute value or a simple subtraction problem?



As I said before, I took difference to mean "pure subtraction" (as Tim noted), so I'm still standing by what I said...it's definitely right from an arithmetic point of view.

/tk, one of the resident math/physics geeks

[cthomer5000]

i was looking for the absolute value of the difference between the two numbers... so the first equation posted did it for me.

[Passacaglia]

I'm as much of a math geek as the next guy, but I think the deal is that pretty much everyone else assumed cthomer knew how to subtract two numbers in excel, and therefore assumed he was talking about absolute value.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

I'm as much of a math geek as the next guy, but I think the deal is that pretty much everyone else assumed cthomer knew how to subtract two numbers in excel, and therefore assumed he was talking about absolute value.

Hey, no fair using common sense in a math debate! We like dictionary definitions better, not ones that actually make the situation sensible.

[terpkristin]

And, for the record, my old roommate didn't know how to subtract using Excel. Granted, he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but it still struck me as crazy that he didn't know how to use the most SIMPLE functions/features in Excel.

/tk

[cthomer5000]

Well, I now know you assumed I was a moron, and I will forever hold it against you.

[terpkristin]

Awww, CT, I didn't mean it like that.
I just meant to say that I don't assume ANYTHING anymore with regards to Excel, so if someone asks what might seem like a basic question, I don't necessarily assume that it's not a basic question.



/tk

[finkenst]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Somehow an innocent question turned into a math geek gang war.

After reading the katrina thread, this brought a smile to my face. Thank you, cthomer5000

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Well, I now know you assumed I was a moron, and I will forever hold it against you.

I only looked in this thread because I wanted to see what elegant solution FM was going to come up with.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by finkenst

I only looked in this thread because I wanted to see what elegant solution FM was going to come up with.

and I'm sure you feel let down right about now

FM

[finkenst]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

and I'm sure you feel let down right about now

FM

just a little, yeah...

but then the question was pretty straightforward.