Help deciphering a formula

[DEllis]

I have a formula, I know how it works I just don't understand what it means. Yup, I am not very proficient at excel, I just dabble and then I get thrown one like this that I have to explain to someone else and I don't think I can. So I am looking in layman terms what this formula means.

=IF(AND(I3<>0,H4=0),IF(I3+D4<0,-1,IF(I3<0,-1,1))*ABS(D4)+H4,IF(I3+D4<0,-1,1)*ABS(D4)+H4)


any help would be greatly appreciated.

thank you,
DEllis

 

[MrKowz]

Reading left to right:
=IF(AND(I3<>0,H4=0),IF(I3+D4<0,-1,IF(I3<0,-1,1))*ABS(D4)+H4,IF(I3+D4<0,-1,1)*ABS(D4)+H4)

If I3 <> 0 and H4 = 0 Then
    If I3+D4<0 Then
        cell = -1
    Else
        If I3 < 0 Then
            Cell = -1 * ABS(D4)+H4
        Else
            Cell = 1 * ABS(D4)+H4
Else
    If I3+D4<0 Then
        Cell = -1 * ABS(D4)+H4
    Else
        Cell = 1 * ABS(D4)+H4

Although the IF statement is redundant in the fact that it produces nearly the same results for a true or a false statement. What is the formula MEANT to do?

 

[DEllis]

Way kewl!!! Thank you so much that makes more sense to see it broken down as you have it here. I appreciate the quick response.

DEllis