Displaying fractions in Excel

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Is there a way if displaying a fraction in Excel in a better way than just ‘6 1/2’ (6.5) ,
eg. putting the vulgar fraction in smaller letters than the main number?
Excel 2000

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You mean like this?
1/2 is CHR189 – are you looking for an infinite range – or just the quarters?
(188= 1/4, 190 = 3/4)

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How do you do that?

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I think Word only does it a with a limited number of fractions, like the quarters and half and it seems to use the extended characters that Leif referred to. They can be used but will treated like text by Excel. to enter a half, Hold down the ALT key and enter 0189 on the numeric keypad. Doing that you are entering text, not a number.

If you want to format your numbers and results as proper fractions, then the answer appears to be no.

Andrew C

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If you have the MS Reference 2 font installed, you have access to a whole range of fractions.

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These symbols presumably do not evaluate to the values that they show, and so could not be used in formulas etc.

Maybe I am incorrect but I would assume that the formatting is required for numerical data.

Andrew C

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Very true.
But if it is only for cosmetic reasons, it may do the job – though who would want to use some of those fractions is beyond me.

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Actually, Word does it better than you can do with Excel. Using Word’s equation editor, you can create an fraction you want, and with a horizontal line vs the slanted line.

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The equation editor objects can be embedded in Excel also, put not to format Excel data. It is purely cosmetic.

Andrew C

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How did I insert the fraction?
I cheated. Went to Word, insert symbol, copy’n’paste.

If you want to make it auto-correct (how I did it):
In Word, type ‘1/2’ – which is converted to

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Just Format the cell using Fraction style. You have a choice of detail. The roll your own form is # ???/???.

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