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General discussion

How Do I Stop Excel XP from reducing fractions?

Nov 26, 2005 8:15AM PST

Hi,

Whenever I enter fractions such as 4/8 or 2/4 Excel reduces them to the lowest possible. Is this really automatic? Where are the controls for this function?

Thanks,

Discussion is locked

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Try this...
Nov 26, 2005 8:58AM PST

If you don't need Excel to recognize the fractions as numbers for AutoSum, you can select the cells in question and go format->cells->text. However, if you do need Excel to recognize the fractions as numbers for manipulation, go format->cells->fraction, and select ''up to three digits.'' As long as the numerator and denominator are both between -999 and 999 you're fine...it will remain exactly as you enter it. Otherwise they'll be converted into mixed fractions. Unfortunately that's the best you can do with what you got.

Hope this helps,
John

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Try.....
Nov 26, 2005 12:52PM PST

If you just enter a value as a fraction, e.g. 2/4 or 4/8, it will probably change to dates, e.g 02-Apr or 08-Apr, depending on the regional settings -date format you configured the OS to show. To do what you want, go to Format>Cell>Fraction. Here, you can configure the fraction as halfs (x/2),forths(x/4), eights (x/Cool or with some other denominator. So, 2/4 will stay as 2/4 and not turned to 1/2. Likewise with 4/8 or 50/100.

If you require decimals, it is, of course Format>Cell>Number etc. and select the number of decimal places and precede with an ''='' before the fraction. A defult of number of decimals is selected at Tools>Options.....

Hope this helps.