I just discovered that at least in V4.3.7.2 of LibreOffice the following verbiage found in the
built-in help for function PMT but that also exists many other places within the built-in help is
not always, if ever(?), true.
In the LibreOffice Calc functions, parameters marked as "optional" can be left out only
when no parameter follows. For example, in a function with four parameters, where the
last two parameters are marked as "optional", you can leave out parameter 4 or
parameters 3 and 4, but you cannot leave out parameter 3 alone.
Someone obviously went to a lot of work to craft that elegant bit of English prose but try the
following to see that the above statement is false in at least one instance:
B1: $5662
B2: 12%
B3: 3
B4: =PMT(B2/12,B3*12,B1,,0)
Note that the fourth parameter was "left out" but the fifth parameter was not. Note also that the
function returns a valid result (negative $188.06). Filling in a zero for the fourth parameter
yields the same result. To give credit where due, I ran across the formula (designated as valid for
Excel) at http://math.about.com/library/weekly/aa102503a.htm while researching how a used car
salesman tried to hornswaggle a senior citizen near here.
Personally I am delighted that LibreOffice has the flexibility to have non-terminal parameters left
out but it goes to show that the built-in Help is in need of some work.
--
Jim
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- [libreoffice-users] Erroneous Verbiage in LibreOffice Built-in Help · James E Lang
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