When entering settings into the Goal Seek dialog box, a cell that contains a formula or function would be entered into which of the following? To Value Formula input A cell containing a formula or function cannot be used with Goal Seek. Set Cell By changing cell
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is Set Cell.
In Excel’s Goal Seek function, the “Set Cell” is the cell that contains the formula or function you want to adjust in order to reach a desired result. This is where Goal Seek will make changes to the value of another cell to meet your target.
Here’s how Goal Seek works:
- Set Cell: This is the cell where the formula or function is located. It will be adjusted by Excel in the process of finding a solution.
- To Value: This is the target value you want the formula or function in the “Set Cell” to reach.
- By Changing Cell: This is the cell whose value Goal Seek will modify in order to make the “Set Cell” reach the desired value.
For example, if you have a formula in cell B2 that calculates the total cost based on the number of units in cell A2, and you want the total cost to equal 100, you would:
- Set B2 (the cell with the formula) as the Set Cell.
- Enter 100 as the To Value (the target total cost).
- Choose A2 (the number of units) as the By Changing Cell.
Goal Seek will then adjust the value in A2 until the formula in B2 results in 100.
Goal Seek works on formulas, so the “Set Cell” must contain a formula or function. If the “Set Cell” doesn’t have a formula or function, Goal Seek won’t work because it needs a formula to solve. This is why a cell containing a formula or function cannot be used in the “To Value” or “Formula input” fields directly.
This tool is helpful for solving equations or making what-if analyses.
