Is this a valid Excel formula?

Question

I use Open Office and received an Excel spreadsheet. One of the formulas was =sum(A5:B8:C10). This is not a valid Open Office formula and I changed it to =A5+B8+C10. Is there any possible reason for the first version and is it valid in Excel.

Answer 1

in excel it is a valid expression. It's not exactly a "correct" expression because what excel will do with it is sum anything in a5 thru c10.  Anyone looking at that formula would be scratching their head wondering what you were really trying to do (add only a5, b8, c10, or add a5 thru b8 and c10, or add a5 and b8 thru c10, etc).  

But open office is not 100% compatible with excel.  You just found one of the incompatiblities with it :-)))

Answer 2

no it is not a valid excel formula it should read =SUM(A5,B8,C10)

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