The numerous built-in math functions in Microsoft Excel allow you to perform complex calculations. But what happens if you cannot find the appropriate function or if you would rather use a simple syntax instead of a complicated formula? This chapter shows you the solution.

You could compare using Excel with driving a car. Until now you were comfortable sitting behind the wheel and using the built-in controls. Many controls were easily accessible on the dashboard, but others were hidden and could only be manipulated after opening a cover. However, everything you used was preinstalled at the factory.

If you want to use something that wasn’t delivered with your car, you have to install it yourself. You have to get out, walk around your car, and open the hood. Then you need to use the proper tools to install the additional part. If you do it right, your car has one more valuable control.

Let’s stay with this image: The driver’s seat of your Excel program is the worksheet or chart view, and you surely recognize the menu and toolbar or ribbon as the dashboard—the logo is in the upper-left corner. But where is the engine compartment? The engine compartment (and here the comparison falls short) was sealed at the factory; you can enter only into an anteroom. However, you can access (nearly) all of the built-in controls. This anteroom is the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) development environment, also called the Visual Basic Editor: a module that was developed from the macro languages of previous Microsoft Office applications and the Basic programming language into a powerful tool. With this module you can develop all possible extensions for the various Office products, including Excel. The amount of knowledge about VBA you need depends on the difficulty of your project. The solution of mathematical problems does not require much VBA familiarity.