Random Selection:RAND function

[Cris]

I have a list of numbers that I need Excel to randomly pick 40 of. I can't
use the RAND function because these numbers don't increment by one all the
time. Any ideas how Excel can give me this list?

Thanks!

[Max]

One way ..
Assume you have a list of 50 numbers (or whatever items) in A1:A50
Put in C1: =RAND(), copy C1 down to C50
Put in B1: =INDEX(A:A,RANK(C1,$C$1:$C$50))
Copy B1 down to B40, to return 40 non repeating random selections
of the list in A1:A50. If you want the full 50 randomized, copy B1 down to
B50. Press F9 to re-generate
--
Rgds
Max
xl 97
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Singapore, GMT+8
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--
"Cris" <Cris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8F3E0CD2-AA22-4410-A510-03F03CBBC31A@microsoft.com...
> I have a list of numbers that I need Excel to randomly pick 40 of. I can't
> use the RAND function because these numbers don't increment by one all the
> time. Any ideas how Excel can give me this list?
>
> Thanks!
>

[Peo Sjoblom]

Use the list of numbers you have, in an adjacent column put the =RAND()
formula, copy down so all values in the list has an adjacent rand value,
select
both columns and sort by the rand column, select the first 40 values from
the list

--
Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please)


"Cris" <Cris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8F3E0CD2-AA22-4410-A510-03F03CBBC31A@microsoft.com...
>I have a list of numbers that I need Excel to randomly pick 40 of. I can't
> use the RAND function because these numbers don't increment by one all the
> time. Any ideas how Excel can give me this list?
>
> Thanks!
>