count Values in column B only if value in column A meets criteria (on the same row)

[ener]

5		a
7		b
6		a
3		b
2		a
4		a
3		c
3		a

<tbody>
</tbody>

Hi guys, hopefully that's quite simple for some of you to answer. I have 2 columns which are NOT next to each other just shown here this way for simplification.

Now I want to look at Column A (the one with the numbers) and every time there is the number 3 it should look at Column B in the same row and count if there is either an 'a' or 'c' in there. So in this example the total count would be 2. First 3 has corresponding 'b' so no count next 3 has corresponding 'c' so count is 1 and last 3 has corresponding 'a' so total count is 2.

I am hoping to accomplish this without VBA and maybe a formula like DCOUNTA or something simpler.

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

 

[par60056]

I know that there has to be a better way than this. But a way that works is better than none.

=COUNTIFS(A1:A8,3,B1:B8,"a")+COUNTIFS(A1:A8,3,B1:B8,"c")

 

[Special-K99]

Try

=SUMPRODUCT((A1:A8=3)*((B1:B8="A")+(B1:B8="C")))

 

[ener]

Thank you very much guys. Both versions work perfectly.