XL2000: Incorrect Result Raising 10 to Very Large/Very Small Power (214373)
The information in this article applies to:
This article was previously published under Q214373 SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 2000, if you type a formula in which the value of 10 is raised to a very large power or a very small power, the formula may return an incorrect result:
10 Raised to Expected Result Actual Result
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very large power #NUM! error 0, 0.1
very small power 0 #DIV/0! error, 10^<some value>
NOTE: These problems do not occur in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel. Also, the problem does not occur when you raise a value other than 10 to a very large power or a very small power; for example: =9^2345678901
correctly returns a #NUM! error.
CAUSE
These problems occur when you type a formula in which the value of 10 is
raised to a power in one of the following ranges:
- Greater than or equal to 2^31 (2,147,483,648).
- Less than or equal to 10^308 (1 followed by 308 zeros).
- Less than or equal to -(2^31) (-2,147,483,648).
- Greater than or equal to -(10^308) (-1 followed by 308 zeroes).
For example:
Formula you type Value returned
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=10^2147483648 0
This formula should return a #NUM! error, because the largest positive number allowed in Microsoft Excel is 9.99999999999999E+307, which is just less than 10^308.
Or:
Formula you type Value returned
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=10^-2147483648 #DIV/0!
=10^-4294966989 1E+307
These formulas should all return the value 0, because the smallest
positive number allowed in Microsoft Excel is 9.99999999999999E-307,
which is just higher than 0 (zero).
WORKAROUND
To prevent this problem from occurring, make sure that formulas in your
workbooks do not raise the value of 10 to a power larger than 308 or smaller than -308.
MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft Excel supports positive values almost as large as 10^308 (a
one followed by 308 zeros) and almost as small as 10^-308 (a decimal
point, followed by 308 zeroes and a one). Similar negative values are
also supported. Smaller values are rounded to 0 (zero), and larger values are converted into a #NUM! error value.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 10/6/2003 |
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| Keywords: | kbprb KB214373 |
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