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Geomean producing unexplained #NUM!
I'm getting the #NUM! error when I try to calculate the Geometric Mean of a column of values. I've confirmed there's no values <= 0 and cleared blanks, but it doesn't help. I can successfully calcula...
(Edited with a simpler demonstration)
It does not take much to demonstrate a situation where GEOMEAN of 2060+ data points returns #NUM.
Select A2:A2067, type 1.41, then press ctrl+Enter (not ctrl+shift+Enter) to enter 1.41 into all cells.
Note that =GEOMEAN(A2:A2066) returns 1.41. But =GEOMEAN(A2:A2067) returns #NUM.
The reason is =PRODUCT(A2:A2066) returns 1.372E+308 (rounded).
But =PRODUCT(A2:A2067) returns #NUM because 1.41*1.372E+308 would be 1.935E+308 (rounded), which exceeds the limit of 64-bit binary floating-point of less than 1.80E+308.
A work-around is:
=10^AVERAGE(LOG(A2:A2067))
If the range might have non-numeric data or empty cells:
=10^AVERAGE(IF(ISNUMBER(A2:A3000),LOG(A2:A3000)))
The latter formula must be array-entered in some versions of Excel.
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If that does not solve your problem, you should be able to attach an example Excel file by clicking "browse" at the bottom of the Reply window.
Alternatively, upload an example Excel file that demonstrates the problem to a file-sharing website, and post a download URL that does not require that we log in.
I like box.net/files; others like dropbox.com. You might like onedrive.live.com because it uses the same login as this forum.If you cannot post the actual URL, edit the beginning of it so that it does not look like a bona fide URL. For example, the URLfor this thread is
techcommunity dot microsoft dot com /t5/excel/geomean-producing-unexplained-num/m-p/3739059#M180397 .
PS.... But if you ``can't create a link due to organisation restrictions``, I would imagine you cannot click "browse", either. The only other option might be to email the example Excel file. But your org might restrict even those attachments. (sigh)
P_Leandri wrote: ``as long as the blanks are in the middle of the array it's all happy``
It should not matter where the empty and non-numeric cells are.
I suspect that you did not array-enter the formula (press ctrl+shift+Enter instead of just Enter), and you need to do that in your version of Excel.
I have attached an example Excel file. But you might not be able to download it due to "organization restrictions", just as you cannot upload files.
So I will demonstrate.
The formula in C2 appears as follows in the Formula Bar (in my version of Excel):
{=10^AVERAGE(IF(ISNUMBER(A2:A10),LOG(A2:A10)))}
Note the curly braces around the formula (in my version of Excel). We cannot type them ourselves. Instead, Excel displays them to indicate an array-entered formula (again, in my version).
Select C2, use the cursor to select just the red-highlighted text shown above, then press f9.
You should see:
=10^AVERAGE({FALSE;FALSE;2.0899051114394;2.65896484266443;FALSE;FALSE;2.89707700320942;FALSE;FALSE})
Be sure to press Esc when you are done in order to restore the original formula.
The FALSE values demonstrate that the formula correctly recognizes all empty and non-numeric cells in the beginning, middle and end of the range.
The AVERAGE function ignores FALSE values in ranges and arrays.
Thank you Joe,
You are correct, I didn't ctrl+shift+Enter. Seems to be working now.
Also, good tip on the use of f9, I'll keep that in my back pocket for later.
