I Was of the Understanding That There Would Be No Math

For the first time in my life, I have a job that requires me to use algebra on occasion. I’ve come up with a tough, yet basic linear equation that I’d like to tell Excel to perform in steps. Maybe you can tell me how in this example:

What number multiplied by 18%, plus itself = 1180?

Or, (X*.18) + X = 1180

Solve for X. The answer is 1,000 but show your work. I need to know how to tell Excel to perform it.

4 thoughts on “I Was of the Understanding That There Would Be No Math”

  1. I’m assuming you mean besides “=1180/1.18” ? 🙂

    It sounds like you’re trying to come up with an easy way to compute X with the other numbers changing. If you’re given the 1180 and the .18 then set up input cells for those amounts, so you can easily change them for new criteria without having to monkey with your formula.

    Try this:

    Cell A1 would be where you put in the 1180
    Cell A2 would be where you put in the .18
    Cell A3 would read “=A2+1” (don’t use the quotation marks but do use the = sign) – this will give you the left side of the formula
    Cell A4 would read “=A1/A3” (this will give you the value of X)

    Using your above example
    A1 would be 1180
    A2 would be .18
    A3 would equal 1.18
    A4 would equal 1000

  2. Keath is right. I think you’re thinking of it as a little more complicated than it is: basically you’re just saying 1.18X = 1180. So to solve for X you divide both sides by 1.18.

  3. You know I completely didn’t realize that .18X + X is the same as 1.18X. I had forgotten that X is the same as 1X, so it never occurred to me to add them together. Thanks, mathletes!

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