Microsoft KB Archive/99639

= LINEST Function Returning Only One Value =

Article ID: 99639

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q99639





SUMMARY
The LINEST worksheet function returns only one value (the slope) when multiple values should be returned.



CAUSE
This problem occurs when one cell is selected when you type the LINEST formula, and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER (in Microsoft Excel for Windows) OR COMMAND+RETURN (in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh).

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel.



MORE INFORMATION
To return the additional regression statistics, select a range of cells consisting of n columns (where n represents the number of known x's) and 5 rows.

NOTE: Because LINEST is an array formula, you must enter the function as an array. To do this, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER in Microsoft Excel for Windows, or COMMAND+RETURN in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh.

The syntax of the LINEST function is

  =LINEST(known_y's,known_x's)

where &quot;known_y's&quot; and &quot;known_x's&quot; are ranges on the worksheet containing the y-values and the x-values, respectively.

