How to highlight unique distinct values

The COUNTIF function counts the value in cell B3 in cell range $B$3:B3 and if it is equal to 1 the formula returns TRUE and that will highlight the cell.

$B$3:B3 is an expanding cell range, the first part of the cell reference is locked to B3 and the second part changes as the CF formula is applied to cells below.

Use the dollar sign $ to lock a cell reference, if you put it in front of the column letter then the column is locked. The same thing happens if you put it in front of the row number.

How to apply conditional formatting to a cell range

Select cell range.
Go to tab "Home"
Click "Conditional Formatting" button.
Click "New Rule..."
Select "Use a formula to determine which cells to format"
Type the formula above in field "Format values where this formula is true:"
Click "Format" button, then pick a formatting.
Click OK button.
Click OK button.

Download Excel *.xlsx file

Highlight unique distinct values.xlsx

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Comments (3)

3 Responses to “How to highlight unique distinct values”

vicktor schausberger says:

October 3, 2011 at 5:48 am

Zen Archery
In his book Wonders of Numbers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), pp. 275-276, Clifford Pickover posed a "Zen Archery" problem. In its simplest form, there is a target with 24 numbers on it. The archer must shoot 5 arrows at the target and hit numbers adding up to 200. The 24 numbers on the target are

97,101,139,41,37,31,29,89,23,19,8,13,
131,19,73,97,19,139,79,67,61,17,113,127

Pickover posed a similar problem at Archery by the Numbers. This is really a combinatorial problem -- given the 24 numbers taken 5 at a time, which unique combinations add up to 200?

There is some quick and dirty Java code on the Web, associated with Pickover's book, which solves the Zen archery problem for the 24 numbers given. However, it is not exactly a model of good programming, and it even assumes some foreknowledge of the answer in the code, i.e. the fact that all combinations adding up to 200 include the number 8.

Zen Archery
In his book Wonders of Numbers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), pp. 275-276, Clifford Pickover posed a "Zen Archery" problem. In its simplest form, there is a target with 24 numbers on it. The archer must shoot 5 arrows at the target and hit numbers adding up to 200. The 24 numbers on the target are

97,101,139,41,37,31,29,89,23,19,8,13,
131,19,73,97,19,139,79,67,61,17,113,127

Pickover posed a similar problem at Archery by the Numbers. This is really a combinatorial problem -- given the 24 numbers taken 5 at a time, which unique combinations add up to 200?

There is some quick and dirty Java code on the Web, associated with Pickover's book, which solves the Zen archery problem for the 24 numbers given. However, it is not exactly a model of good programming, and it even assumes some foreknowledge of the answer in the code, i.e. the fact that all combinations adding up to 200 include the number 8. Zen Archery
In his book Wonders of Numbers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), pp. 275-276, Clifford Pickover posed a "Zen Archery" problem. In its simplest form, there is a target with 24 numbers on it. The archer must shoot 5 arrows at the target and hit numbers adding up to 200. The 24 numbers on the target are

97,101,139,41,37,31,29,89,23,19,8,13,
131,19,73,97,19,139,79,67,61,17,113,127

Pickover posed a similar problem at Archery by the Numbers. This is really a combinatorial problem -- given the 24 numbers taken 5 at a time, which unique combinations add up to 200?

There is some quick and dirty Java code on the Web, associated with Pickover's book, which solves the Zen archery problem for the 24 numbers given. However, it is not exactly a model of good programming, and it even assumes some foreknowledge of the answer in the code, i.e. the fact that all combinations adding up to 200 include the number 8. the result is 27 groups of 5 number, the optimal combination how can I do that in excel 2003

Reply
Rona says:

March 5, 2012 at 5:46 pm

or do pivot table on the list it is much faster and easier

Reply
Oscar says:

March 6, 2012 at 9:35 am

Rona,

you are right! Sometimes you just want to examine the values having duplicates and then take the appropriate actions.

Reply

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