Microsoft KB Archive/142130

= Example on Use of Solver =

Article ID: 142130

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q142130





SUMMARY
The Solver add-in that ships with Microsoft Excel is used to find solutions to "what-if" scenarios based on adjustable cells and constraint cells. This article gives an example of how to set up a model on a worksheet and how to use Solver to find a solution to the model based on the constraints in the model.



MORE INFORMATION
Follow these steps to create the model on a worksheet:  Open a new worksheet.  Type the following on the worksheet:      A1: 1 A2: -3 A3: A4: =A1*A3^2+A2*A3+2  On the Tools menu, click Solver.

NOTE: If Solver is not on the Tools menu, you need to make sure the Solver add-in is listed and selected in the Add-ins dialog box. In the Solver Parameters dialog box, in the Set Target Cell box, enter A4. Click the Value Of option and set the value to 0. In the "By Changing Cells" box, enter A3.</li> In the "Subject to the Constraints" area, click Add.</li> Type A3 in the "Cell reference" box, click ">=" in the list, and in the Constraint box, type 1.5. Click OK.</li> Click Solve.</li></ol>

You should get the Solver Results dialog box stating that Solver found a solution and the value in cell A4 should now be 0, or very close to zero (1.04E-07, for example). Click the OK button to return to the worksheet.

<div class="references_section">

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
For more information about Solver, click the Index in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

solver, overview

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "About solving for a value to maximize another value" topic.

Microsoft Excel 97
For more information about Solver, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

solver, overview

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "About solving for a value to maximize another value" topic.

Microsoft Excel 7.0
For more information about Solver, click Answer Wizard on the Help menu and type:

tell me about finding solutions using Solver

Microsoft Excel 5.0
For more information about Solver, click the Search button in Help and type:

solver

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 5.00c 7.00 8.00 97 xl97 XL

Keywords: kbhowto kbinfo KB142130

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