Organizing formulas with parentheses

Formulas can be as simple as a single mathematical operator such as =D3*E4. However, you can also use multiple mathematical operators, such as

=A4+A5*C7/F4+D9

There are two problems with using multiple mathematical operators. First, they make a formula harder to read and understand. Second, Excel calculates mathematical operators from left to right, based on precedence, which means a formula may calculate results differently than you intended.

Precedence tells Excel which mathematical operators to calculate first, as listed in Table shown below. For example, Excel calculates multiplication before it calculates addition. If you had a formula like

=A3+A4*B4+B5

Excel first multiplies A4*B4 and then adds this result to A3 and B5.



(Remember): Typing parentheses around cell references and mathematical operators not only organizes your formulas but also tells Excel specifically how you want to calculate a formula. In the example =A3+A4*B4+B5, Excel multiplies A4 and B4 first. If you want Excel to first add A3 and A4, then add B4 and B5, and finally multiply the two results together, you have to use parentheses, like this:

=(A3+A4)*(B4+B5)

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