Certain Numbers Ending in .848 Display Incorrectly

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.x
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

On a Microsoft Excel worksheet, when you enter a number between 32,768 and 65,535 that has a decimal portion of .848, the number is displayed in the formula bar with a decimal portion of .8479999999.

RESOLUTION

The default general number format displays the number in the cell with the correct decimal portion. The cell will display the same number as the number in the formula bar if you format the cell to show 10 decimal places or more.

To format the cell to show 10 decimal places or more, do the following:

1. On the Format menu, click Cells, and in the Format Cells dialog box, click the Number tab.

2. Under Category, click Number.

3. If you are running Microsoft Excel for Windows 95:

         Under Decimal Places, change the default value of 2 to 10 or more.
   

   If you are running other versions of Microsoft Excel:

         Under Format Codes, create a code with 10 decimal places or more.
   

4. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.