Excel trivia or math challenge?

[lori.schlueter]

In Excel 2007 there are XFD # of columns. My 7th grade computer apps class and I are trying to figure out how many that is?

We think if it was ZZZ it would be 27 to the 3rd power, is that even right. Or would AZZ be 27 to the 3rd power?

If you know and wouldn't mind explaining the math to us we would love to know we are working on the problem our selves.

Thanks Lori Schlueter

PS. Bill I know you personally will love this one. I'm sure it is easy for you.

I forgot to ask Fritz last night at home he could have probably answered it for me too!

But this is more fun

 

[WaterGypsy]

I thought it should be 26 to third power BUT when I went to explain it I realised that
A-Z is 26
A-AZ is 26 * 2
so A-ZZ will 26 * 27
and then adding another 26 you get 26 * 26 * 27

I think .....

 

[JamesW]

You could always cheat :P

=Column(XFD1) - I can't see the answer as I'm using 2003.

 

[WaterGypsy]

I thought it should be 26 to third power BUT when I went to explain it I realised that
A-Z is 26
A-AZ is 26 * 2
so A-ZZ will 26 * 27
and then adding another 26 you get 26 * 26 * 27

I think .....

Or I was being totally dim today - that's the number if you could get to column ZZZ ...

First calculate X.. = 26*26*24
then F. = 26*6
and D = 4

and add them up .... just like arithmetic in any base really - this is simply base 26 where all the numbers are represented by letters

 

[MrKowz]

Excel's rows and columns limitations increase in powers of 2 (as does most any other measure of memory).

Excel 2003 Limits:
Rows = 65536 = 2^16
Columns = 256 = 2^8

Excel 2007 Limits:
Rows = 1048579 = 2^20
Columns = 16384 = 2^14

 

[lori.schlueter]

Thanks you guys are awesome! 3 different explanations and they all come up with the same answer. Won't my students be impressed. Thanks and have a great day!

 

[im2bz2p345]

Using Excel 2007, the maximum column that I can get to is: =COLUMN(XFD1048576)

If you try =COLUMN (XFD1048577) or anything higher, it will return a #NAME error.

Hope that helps,

~ Im2bz2p345

 

[edokhotnik]

Or try in a cell:

=COLUMNS(A1:XFD1)

 

[JamesW]

Using Excel 2007, the maximum column that I can get to is: =COLUMN(XFD1048576)

If you try =COLUMN (XFD1048577) or anything higher, it will return a #NAME error.

Hope that helps,

~ Im2bz2p345

That's why I suggested =Column(XFD1)