Domenic, thanks! That works if I input "A" anywhere in the range A1:E5.

Is there a way to make it work for any text value? It doesn't work with "B"
or "Apples", for example.

Thanks very much!
SteveC


"Domenic" wrote:

> Make that...
>
> =LOOKUP(BigNum,CHOOSE({1,2},COLUMNS(A1:E5),MATCH(0,MMULT(COLUMN(A1:E5)^0,
> --(A1:E5="A")),0)-1))
>
> In article <domenic22-024EAC.20280414062006@msnews.microsoft.com>,
> Domenic <domenic22@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > I'm not sure this is what you're looking for, but try the following...
> >
> > Insert > Name > Define
> >
> > Name: BigNum
> >
> > Refers to:
> >
> > =9.99999999999999E+307
> >
> > Click Ok
> >
> > Then, try...
> >
> > =LOOKUP(BigNum,CHOOSE({1,2},COLUMNS(A1:E5),MATCH(0,MMULT({1,1,1,1,1},--(A
> > 1:E5="A")),0)-1))
> >
> > In article <FCFF5521-C0EC-42C5-B883-1CEEB055D778@microsoft.com>,
> > SteveC <SteveC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks for trying to figure this out.
> > >
> > > Forget everything I just said. Let's start begin this way:
> > >
> > > Example 1:
> > > Count the number of times A is in the series A1:E5. You should Count 5.
> > >
> > > Col A Col B Col C Col D Col E
> > > Row1 A A
> > > Row2 A
> > > Row3 A
> > > Row4 A
> > > Row5
> > >
> > > Example 2:
> > > Now Count the number of consecutive times A appears in the series, starting
> > > from ColA and finishing at ColE. The key word is "consecutive." You
> > > should
> > > could count 2. This is because there is no "A" in Col C. The formula
> > > should
> > > stop counting everything after the break in the series.
> > >
> > > Col A Col B Col C Col D Col E
> > > Row1 A
> > > Row2 A
> > > Row3 A
> > > Row4 A
> > > Row5
> > >
> > > My question is, what formula in G1 will count the consecutive number of
> > > "As"
> > > in the series A1:E5. That is, what formula will return a value of 2.
> > >
> > > Thanks for taking a look...
> > >
> > > (this is easily solvable via a sorting macro or multiple vlookups in A1:E5,
> > > but I wanted to see if it's possible in the way described above...)
>