# Help Creating an Excel Formula

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 5, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896 "2008-06-05T15:48:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nobody\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896/1 "2008-06-05T15:48:45Z")

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I need to create a formula for Excel that calculates a score based one the number of simultaneous processes a chip can perform in what amount of time. The longer the chip requires to perform a process the greater the penalty should be, but the more processes it can simultaneously the greater the reward should be.

For example:  
A chip that takes 1,200 seconds should score 5 points\*.  
A chip that takes 2,400 seconds should score 11 points.  
A chip that takes 3,600 seconds should score 18 points

Similarly:  
A chip that can perform 1 simultaneous process should score 5 points  
A chip that can perform 2 simultaneous processes should score 11 points  
A chip that can perform 3 simultaneous processes should score 18 points

As a result:  
A chip that can perform 1 simultaneous process in 1,200 seconds should yield the same score as a chip that can perform 2 simultaneous processes in 2,400 seconds. Which would yield the same score as a chip that can perform 3 simultaneous processes in 3,600 seconds.

How would I write such a formula? Thanks.

\*The number of points in the example are not necessarily precise. They’re round numbers intended to demonstrate the exponential growth of the point values.

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**Author:** ![50million](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/9fc348/32.png) [@50million](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/50million)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896/2 "2008-06-05T17:23:06Z")

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I could never explain this in words, so I just did it. I’d be happy to send the file to you (why else would I be wasting time at work!). Got an email you prefer?

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**Author:** ![Nobody\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896/3 "2008-06-05T17:49:39Z")

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[QUOTE=50million]  
I could never explain this in words, so I just did it. I’d be happy to send the file to you (why else would I be wasting time at work!). Got an email you prefer?  
[/QUOTE]

Thank you very much. davidrossallen [at] gmail [dot] com

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**Author:** ![Nobody\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-creating-an-excel-formula/451896/4 "2008-06-05T21:43:28Z")

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Thanks. It’s what I needed and I could even understand what you did.