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From: Penny Black on 25 May 2010 15:41
Using Excel 2003. Simple task of trying to generate a pseudo-random number
between 1 and 52 (yes, a deck of cards). I'm populating the cells with
=RANDBETWEEN(1,52). Many of the cells are displaying negative numbers.

Any ideas?

From: Fred Smith on 25 May 2010 16:10
Are you sure that's exactly the formula you are using?

I entered =randbetwwen(1,52), filled it down 51 times, and got the expected
results: a bunch of numbers between 1 and 52, none negative.

Regards,
Fred

"Penny Black" <PennyBlack(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9615C6E4-C2EC-4145-9725-CB702077B677(a)microsoft.com...
> Using Excel 2003. Simple task of trying to generate a pseudo-random
> number
> between 1 and 52 (yes, a deck of cards). I'm populating the cells with
> =RANDBETWEEN(1,52). Many of the cells are displaying negative numbers.
>
> Any ideas?
>

From: Gord Dibben on 25 May 2010 16:12
I cannot replicate this in 2003.

I get all positives between 1 and 52.

I dragged down for 1000 rows and recalculated many times.

No negatives.

I can't think of a reason why you get negatives unless you have typed
negative top and/or bottom parameters.

Your example formula does not show that however.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 25 May 2010 12:41:01 -0700, Penny Black
<PennyBlack(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Using Excel 2003. Simple task of trying to generate a pseudo-random number
>between 1 and 52 (yes, a deck of cards). I'm populating the cells with
>=RANDBETWEEN(1,52). Many of the cells are displaying negative numbers.
>
>Any ideas?

From: Stephen Bye on 25 May 2010 16:16
The RAND function returns negative numbers in Excel 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834520


From: Gord Dibben on 25 May 2010 16:51
Thanks for the link Stephen.

Do you know if this problem also relates to RANDBETWEEN function?

Doesn't specifically state so but maybe??

I guess OP installing the hotfix wouldn't hurt.


Gord


On Tue, 25 May 2010 21:16:01 +0100, "Stephen Bye"
<stephenbye(a)byedesign.co.uk> wrote:

>The RAND function returns negative numbers in Excel 2003
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834520
>

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