formula >0

Awesome site, thanks.
I have 4 columns of numbers. Column 1 minus column 2 = answer(col3). Then I add column 4 to col 3.
Sometimes the answer between col1 and col2 is a negative number. This will throw off everything. Is it possible to have excel subtract col2 from col1 or vice versa which ever way will always give a positive?

25 32 col1-col2=-7
I hope it can be;
25 32 col1-col2=7 without having to change the forumla around or the columns. sometimmes I have over 1500 cells in a column and the way i do it nopw is go through manually and change it when i get negative.

Cheers, looking forwRD to help.
Martin.

Hi there,

You'll have use an IF statement that checks if the answer is less than zero and if it is either change the formula around or multiply the result by minus one i.e.,

If (col1 - col2 < 0, col2 - col1, col1 - col2) or
If (col1 - col2 < 0, (col1 - col2)*-1, col1 - col2)

HTH

Robert

Thanks you guys, I will try all of them. I do like the ABS formula though, but will both of them return a positive result? and I dont mean just changing the negative to a positive. It know to must subtract one from the other or change it around to get the right positive result. (col1-col2) or (col2-col1).

Kindest Regards,
Martin.

I got the ABS to work, sweet. Thanks much. If I have a row of numbers like the following:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Is there a way I can get Exl to highlight the numbers in the row that could be ancored at say 3, then add 2. It would highlight 5, then add 2 highlight 7 add 2 highlight 9 etc.
or if I start the sequence at 4 and add 6 it would highlight 10, then 16 then 22 then 28 then 34 etc.
Is this possible?

Kindest regards,
Martin.