iNumbers app won't add up

Hi Francoise,

There is no "iNumbers" app.

There is a Numbers for Mac application (the topic in this community), a Numbers for iOS app (discussed in the iWork for iOS community) and a Numbers for iCloud online application.

Which are you using? The profile information in your post would suggest Numbers for Mac, version 4.3.1.

How are you 'select(ing) "Insert" Sum'?

In the version I'm using (3.6.2) SUM does not appear in the Insert menu.

In the example below, I've selected all of column B. Numbers reports results of two calculations in the box below the document window: Sum, and Average. (Other common calculations are also reported, but I've narrowed the window to make a better fit here.)

I can drag these results into any cell in the table that is not included in the selection, and the formula calculating the result show will be placed in that cell and display the result. Here, I've done that in cells A1 and C9.

The formula in both cells is the same:

A1: SUM(B1:B10)

C9: SUM(B1:B10)

If I want to use this method to place the formula into cells B1 or B10, I need to remove the target cell from the selection.

If I select cells B2-B9, then drag the Sum into B10, it will put the same SUM formula into B10, with the range of cells revised to fit the new selection:

B10: SUM(B2:B9)

Row 1 on this table has been defined as a Header row, and row 10 has been defined as a Footer row, so I can enter the formula directly into B10 and set the range reference to "B" instead of "B2:B9". Header and Footer rows are excluded from 'whole column' references in SUM, AVERAGE, and several other functions.

Unfortunately, dragging the SUM function in from the box does not produce a 'whole column' reference. The reference is to the range of cells selected.

Not the clearest description/explanation, I suspect. If you need more information, please respond with further questions.

Regards,

Barry

Do you mean this?

If so, make sure you first define the row where you're inserting the SUM function as a Footer Row.

Here's the result:

SG

Barry,

exceptional clear to me.

One suggestion perhaps: you may start your explanation by selecting the cells without the header and footer rows and continue from there.

Thanks again for the explanation.

Paul.

Hi Francoise,

This should work whether the Data Format is 'Automatic' or is 'Currency' or is 'Number'.

Data Format controls how the value is displayed. It usually doesn't affect the functioning of a formula. (Unless, of course, the formula expects a date, or duration, or perhaps other exceptions).

SG