Tips: How to Show Formulas in Apple iWork Numbers
September 4th, 2007 | by Michael |This tip allows you to show formulas in Numbers just as you would in Excel.
The secret is to place an apostrophe in front of your formula. For instance, if you type =SUM(10,20), Numbers would normally display 30. If you type ‘=SUM(10,20), Numbers displays =SUM(10,20). That’s correct, it doesn’t display the apostrophe, just your formula.
Students will find this useful, as teachers often want formulas displayed to check for accuracy.
4 Responses to “Tips: How to Show Formulas in Apple iWork Numbers”
By JohnA on Sep 4, 2007 | Reply
How do you get the result back again if the apostrophe is no longer displayed?
By Michael on Sep 4, 2007 | Reply
John,
The apostrophe is for display only. If you want the results from the formula, you need to type it in another cell, or change the format to Automatic.
- Michael
By KOENIG Yvan on Sep 11, 2007 | Reply
Hello
For my own use, I don’t change the cell’s contents.
I just temporarily set its format to text;-)
Yvan KOENIG
By benji on Oct 14, 2008 | Reply
Putting an apostrophe in front of the formula just tells Numbers that that cell’s format is text, so both things you guys said are the same