LINEST or REGRESS Error Value When X-Values Dependent

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This article was previously published under Q96436

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SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, the LINEST, TREND, and REGRESS functions (the REGRESS function is available in the Analysis ToolPak add-in macro) may return a #NUM! error value.

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CAUSE

This problem will occur if any set of known x-values is dependent on any other set of known x-values.

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MORE INFORMATION

A set of known x-values is considered to be dependent on another set of known x-values when the first set is a multiple of the second set. For example, consider the following four sample number sets:

   Set A       Set B          Set C          Set D
   ------------------------------------------------

   1           1              4              7
   2           2              8              9
   3           3              12             11
   4           4              16             13
   5           5              20             15

Set B is dependent on Set A (and A is dependent on B) because each element in Set B is equal to its corresponding element in Set A (Set A*1=Set B).

Set C is dependent on Set A (and A is dependent on C) because each element in Set C is equal to four times its corresponding element in Set A (Set A*4=Set C).

Set D is not dependent on any of the other sets (and the other sets are not dependent on Set D) because it is not an even multiple of any of the other sets.

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REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 4.0, pages 254-258
"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 3.0, pages 138-141

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

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kbualink97 KB96436

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Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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