Any excel experts?

[iLB]

Currently trying to finish off a hydrology report before going home tomorrow, and I want to format my spreadsheet to put all my data into 3 decimal places, is this possible?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Yes I think so.

 

[TVC]

Without having it open in front of me I think, highlight the cells you want, right click format, choose entry format as numeric and a decimal place box should appear for you to select.

 

[ASC1951]

Try this.

Left click the top left cell*, which selects the whole sheet. Go to Format/Cells/Number then select 3 in the Decimal Places drop down.

*i.e. the one above 1 and to the left of A, in the border.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Ermm

Highlight the cells you want to format
Click Format
Click Cells
Click the number tab
Click Number in the list
Select the number of Decimal places
Click OK

Job Done

 

[iLB]

done, thanks alot, probably gains me a couple of marks for accuracy and suddenly the data is much easier to interpret as well

 

[Maz]

Be wary of rounding errors if several of these cells are added together. This may not apply in your case, though.

 

[iLB]

Be wary of rounding errors if several of these cells are added together. This may not apply in your case, though.

if only it did only involve simple additions *sigh* lots of measures of stream discharge and then some measures of spread like coefficient of varitation, standard deviation etc

 

[jpembroke]

For future reference, there are 'reduce/increase decimal places' buttons at the top of the Excel window. They point left or right depending what you want to do.

 

[Maz]

if only it did only involve simple additions *sigh* lots of measures of stream discharge and then some measures of spread like coefficient of varitation, standard deviation etc

I don't know enough about your calcs, but best leave the rounding until you get your 'final answer', otherwise errors will inevitably creep in.

 

[Trumpettom001]

That's odd -we're learning about standard deviation/ spread / coefficients of correlations in good ole' maths - I didn't realise it's actually usefull!!! Thankyou - I may start paying more attention now..

 

[iLB]

more of a pain in the ar$e than useful i would say, especially as i failed my stats exam a few weeks ago

 

[summerdays]

Hydrology and stats takes me back sort of ... but I've forgotten what it means ... just remember the terms now.

 

[mcshroom]

I wouldn't worry too much about rounding errors. The number stored by excel is the full number entered, it is only the visual formatting that you are changing.

 

[garrilla]

Just to add - there is a difference between formatting (showing three decimal places as though they were rounded) and rounding (fixing to 3 decimal places). The calculation of the formatted number will continue operate to the 15th decimal place in excel so you don't get any rounding error. A small but important distinction.

Edit: just posted to see that mcshroom had writtten the same!