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Szpilman's avatar
Szpilman
Copper Contributor
May 23, 2023

What is wrong with my Excel?

I have a very weird issue with Excel lately and I'm wasting lot's of time.

 

Yesterday, I had to make a spreadsheet to calculate some oscillations. I made some columns with values and some columns with formulas using those values. 

When I calculate the SIN of a number, let's say 57, it gives me the right output. The formula:

=SIN(57)   cell shows: 0,436...

 

However, when I take the SIN of the exact same number (57) calculated by a formula using some other parameters (referring to another cell), it gives me a ridiculous small number close to zero. something like 1*10^-15. 

 

I tried everything. used converting functions like RADIANS, DEGREES, checked my decimal speperators, checked the value types, and asked at least 3 different people with tons of Excel experience. nobody seems to know. 

 

After litteraly searched for hours and wasting time, I asked someone's else spreadsheet. Everything working fine until today, another weird problem regarding calculating things. 

In one column, I entered the formula: 

=B5*SIN(RADIALEN(E5*D5)) which gives me the right input for the first cell. Whenever I apply this one cell to the others down below, the value stays unaltered. It shows the same value for the whole column. 

But when I manually replace the D5, D6, D7... by typing the right number manually instead of referring to column D, I got the right answer. 

 

What's wrong with my excel? I already reinstalled it several times but problems seem to be inconsistent and it really makes me look like I don't know how to work with Excel anymore, altough I used it for years. 

 

I hope it was a little bit clear as it is difficult to explain by words.  Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

excel
Formulas and Functions
office 365

5 Replies

    • Szpilman's avatar
      Szpilman
      Copper Contributor
      May 23, 2023

      Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately it's not the solution. I checked and the automatic calculation mode is already on.

      • SergeiBaklan's avatar
        SergeiBaklan
        Diamond Contributor
        May 23, 2023

        Szpilman 

        May I clarify. You have some numbers in B5,E5,D5 and B6,E6,D6. Doesn't matter they were entered manually or calculated by formula.

        and formula

        =B5*SIN(RADIALEN(E5*D5))

         somewhere in row 5. 

        You copy above formula and paste it to the cell down, which gives

        =B6*SIN(RADIALEN(E6*D6))

        Result is the same as in above, correct?

         

        One more question. If Formulas->Error checking->Circular reference, do you see one?

         

         

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