Unexpected Behaviour of Cell Set to Percentage

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Level 1

51 points

Unexpected Behaviour of Cell Set to Percentage

I have a cell D10 whose data format is set to Percentage.

Sometimes when I enter a new Implied Volatility figure in my calculator by highlighting the current figure that needs changing to a new figure, instead of displaying the number and 3 characters I type in eg "7.5", it displays the 3 characters (the "7," the point "." and the "5") it displays it as 750%?

It does this randomly despite reformatting the cell by first erasing it and then recolouring it blue and setting it to Percent.

Note: The Interest Rate Cell below it has no such issue when I change that figure from eg 5.25% to 5.5%, it has never displayed 550% or a 100 x's what ever number I input into the Interest Rate field,

Not sure why I am getting the extra 00's when I clearly write 7.5 and hit enter?

MacBook Pro 15″

Posted on Dec 13, 2023 11:28 AM

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Answer 1

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Bardonicloud Author

Level 1

51 points

Dec 14, 2023 4:12 AM in response to Badunit

Hello @BadUnit, thanks, my image was meant to explain that if I enter 7.5 in the cell (screenshot taken at that moment with just 7.5 entered), then hit return, I get 750%.

I’ve figured out why I get the extra unwanted 00’s. It only happens if you double click on the cell and the previous number becomes highlighted in blue. If I just select the cell (leaving the previous number intact and with no highlighting in blue) and write over it, eg “9” it will enter as 9%.

Not sure why Apple made the distinction between the two ways of entering digits in a cell.

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Answer 2

Dec 18, 2023 12:56 PM in response to Bardonicloud

Bardon,

Numbers has a behavior that I would change if I knew how. That is, if you delete the content of a cell, you also have deleted any specific formatting for that cell and it reverts to Automatic.

My guess is that you inadvertently deleted the % formatting of the cell before typing 7.5 into the cell, or maybe you haven't done the format step yet and are saving that task for later. Now that you have 7.5 there, which is the equivalent of 750%, if at this point you change to % format for that cell, it will show, accurately, 750%.

Jerry

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Answer 3

Dec 13, 2023 8:02 PM in response to Bardonicloud

I would start over in a new document.:

If you plan on formatting as "Percent" then you should enter numbers that are "out of 100"...

e.g.

to see a displayed value of "56.8" type "0.568"

When you enter "2" decimal places you are choosing how many digits follow the decimal point.

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Answer 4

Badunit

Level 7

31,321 points

Dec 13, 2023 8:17 PM in response to Bardonicloud

I can't say why it is doing it. Normal behavior would be it adding the % as you type. As soon as you type the 7 it should put the % to the right of it and it will stay there as you type the rest of the number. I have been unable to get it to lose the formatting and be plain 7.5 as shown in your screenshot. I can get it to become 750.00% by typing in 7.5 then Delete (to get rid of the % it had automatically included). I can also get it to do it if I select the percentage that is currently in the cell (select the number and the percentage sign the same way you would select text), Delete, then type the 7.5. Are you doing that?

Hi Wayne.

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Answer 5

Dec 14, 2023 5:31 AM in response to Bardonicloud

When you Double click a cell, you enter text entry mode for the cell. Had you double clicked again, you would have selected a whole "word" in the cell-- you didn't.

You must have single clicked to place the cursor, then you started typing.

Or you select a portion of the text that was in the cell, then typed a value leaving a portion of the original contents and what you typed.

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Answer 6

Badunit

Level 7

31,321 points

Dec 14, 2023 5:56 AM in response to Bardonicloud

"Highlighting" then deleting is what I describing as selecting it like text then deleting. I assume they are treating it the same way as deleting the automatically provided % when typing in the number. Both occur when in text entry/edit mode.

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Answer 7

Bardonicloud Author

Level 1

51 points

Dec 14, 2023 4:11 AM in response to Wayne Contello

Thanks for taking a look at this Wayne, I've figured out why it works sometimes (entering 7.5) and not other times. Pls see my response to BadUnits reply.

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Unexpected Behaviour of Cell Set to Percentage

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