extra set of () to clarify

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Can someone please explain the reason for using an extra set of () to clarify. It was suggested to use with MAX.
How would I do a search for this in this forum. I tried but got no returns even though this was suggested in this forum.

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Could you explain the context of the extra parenthesis. What do you want to clarify? Extra sets generally will not matter. I would use them to ensure the proper order of the arithmatic or to help set something apart, but the question is content dependent….

Steve

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Consider:

5+4*3/2 = 11 yes 11

5+((4*3)/2) is how Excel sees the above. you don’t need the parenthesis but it sure makes things clearer.:cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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It was in reference to:
=IF((MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C)))=0,”1st”,(MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C))))
I think the MAX was being emphasized as an option/method to avoid negative numbers.
It appears from the 2 previous replies that it is a scripting method to highlight part of a formula or organize part of a formula to show the logic/methodology without effecting its function.

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Which “extra set of () to clarify” are you asking about?
The formula =IF((MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C)))=0,”1st”,(MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C)))) has two places that use () after the function TODAY(). Those parenthesis are required for the TODAY function.

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I don’t think the extra set clarifies anything. I think the 2 extra sets make it more difficult to read
=IF((MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C)))=0,”1st”,(MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C))))

and I would eliminate them:
=IF(MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C))=0,”1st”,MAX(0,TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C)))

You could also use, which seems to be clearer to me:
=IF(TODAY()<=LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C),"1st",TODAY()-LOOKUP(9E+300,C:C))

You don't need to use the "Max" trick to make it never less <0 if you are testing for this very condition to make it something other than zero…

Steve

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When writing more complex algorithms, you can choose clarity and/or brevity. I think clarity wins every time especially if you or someone else needs to read the code in the future and a complex statement isn’t documented or explained.

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