JIMMIE wrote:

On May 8, 12:36Â*pm, "Antonio Vernucci" wrote:
I think this message can be of interest for those using Excel for antenna
calculations.

Write in one cell: Â*=(-A1^2 + 8) Â* Note: the exponent of A1 is 2 (and not
2+8=10) because Excel performs squaring before summing

Write in another cell: Â*=(8 - A1^2)

They look pretty much the same

But give A1 any non-zero value and see what happen.

73

Tony I0JX
Rome, Italy

Computer Science 101 taught me that various computer compilers do not
always handle complex equations as I would expect and to break
equations down into steps using multiple lines of code. Compilers dont
even follow basic rules of mathmatics, if they did you would never be
able to code a = a + 1.

The expression is an equation in mathematics and an assignment statement in
programming. Two different concepts on two different contexts. The meaning
of an expression can easily vary based on the context.

Consider 'x'; it can mean any of the following.
An abbreviation for a religious figure
An abbreviation for trans (xmit)
multiplication (2x3)
location of a pirate's treasure on a map
a kiss
one letter in a word

So, expecting a spreadsheet to follow the all rules of math is unrealistic.


The original post reflected confusion over operator precedence. Operator
precedence is usually documented. Not paying attention to how a spreadsheet
works is the user's fault. If there is doubt, parentheses can be added to
make sure the calculations are carried out as desired. Verifying the
calculations by hand is also a good idea.



They allow the programer to ASSIGN values to
variables and it is up to the programer to follow the rules.

Jimmie