Change neg to pos

[3way]

I am creating an amortization-type spreadsheet to analize real estate investments. I can't figure out how to change a negative number (p&i amount on a loan) to a positive number to use in another formula (i.e. adding p&i to taxes and insurance for a total payment).

Thanks!

3way

 

[Emily]

use ABS function, change the value to absolute value.

 

[royUK]

[No message]

 

[royUK]

Hi

If your negative value is in cell A1 use thisA1*-1)+?+? where ? are your other values.
This message was edited by royUK on 2002-09-13 23:19

 

[Brian from Maui]

=SUM(ABS(A1),B1,C1)

Where A1 houses the negative value.

 

[3way]

"Why not merely = -A1 + ? + ?"
In my case I'd be adding a negative number (principal & interest) to two positive numbers. That gives me the wrong answer.

Thanks to everyone for all the great answers. I was almost too embarrased to ask but I'm so glad I did!

Cordially,

3way

 

[Ram Chowdar Doss Azuph Al]

Unless someone's cracked my password, the moderator has deleted the messages that I previously posted to this thread.

The deletions have been done without any notification and without providing any reason.
If the moderator is responsible, then I think it is a very ill-mannered way to behave.

If the moderator sees fit to delete this message also, I would hope that he will do so with more courtesy than the last time.

Naturally, I withdraw all criticism if he was not the one who deleted my posts, or he did so in error.

I will repeat the gist of the last post I made :-

You said that your number (assumed to be in A1) is always negative.
Therefore, using = -A1 will convert the number in A1 to a positive value (since 2 negatives equal a positive!).
It does the same as the other solutions that you seem to be happy with =(A1*-1), =ABS(A1), and it's a bit shorter.