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Meta challenge

Meta: Find all bugs (assessment sheet)

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Mixed sheet: SUM Amount=0 (text), COUNTIF Open=2 (leading space), Rate 500%, GST uses $D$5. Fixed SUM=4400, COUNTIF=3, GST at 5% (LibreOffice verified).

About this data: Made-up shop for Kavya Iyer (Coimbatore) and James Okoro (Accra). Practice only.
Download broken workbook Download fixed (after you try)

Why → What → How

Why: Interviews and class tests often mix several small bugs — train your eye to inventory them before fixing.

What: Broken SUM 0 / Open 2. Fixed 4400 / 3.

How:

  1. Download and list every bug before editing.
  2. Fix amounts to numbers.
  3. TRIM statuses.
  4. Set rate to 0.05 and relative GST.

Ravindra Bagale’s Tip

Write the bug list first. Fixing too early makes you miss the fourth bug.

Bugs explained (with mini examples)

Bug 1 — Amounts as text

SUM → 0.

Bug 2 — Leading space Status

COUNTIF misses one Open.

Bug 3 — Rate typed 5

Shows 500%.

Bug 4 — GST =B*$D$5

All rows use the bad rate cell.

Practice tasks (12)

  1. Task 1. Broken SUM Amount?
    Hint: 0.
  2. Task 2. Fixed SUM?
    Hint: 4400.
  3. Task 3. Broken COUNTIF Open?
    Hint: 2.
  4. Task 4. Fixed COUNTIF?
    Hint: 3.
  5. Task 5. What is wrong with D5?
    Hint: 5 instead of 0.05.
  6. Task 6. GST formula bug?
    Hint: Absolute $D$5.
  7. Task 7. How many bugs?
    Hint: 4.
  8. Task 8. Interview opener.
    Hint: I list bugs before I edit.
  9. Task 9. Sheet name?
    Hint: Mixed.
  10. Task 10. Fix Status how?
    Hint: TRIM or retype.
  11. Task 11. Fix text amounts how?
    Hint: VALUE / Paste Special.
  12. Task 12. Save fixed.
    Hint: Yes.

In-browser formula check

Type the fixed formula you would put in the named cell. We check formula text — open the workbook for full recalculation.

Step-by-step solution (try first)
  1. Convert B5:B8 to numbers.
  2. TRIM C6.
  3. Set D5=0.05.
  4. Change GST to =B5*D5 and fill.
  5. LO: SUM 0→4400; Open 2→3.

Quick quiz

Q1. Broken SUM is:
Q2. Bugs to find:
Q3. Leading space breaks:
Q4. Rate 5 with % format shows:
Q5. Best first step: