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Thread: Excel RATE() function in Java behaving a bit differently

  1. #1
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    Default Excel RATE() function in Java behaving a bit differently

    Hi guys,

    Just wanted to check something. I have the following function below which is the equivalent of the RATE function in Excel

    In Excel, if I do the following in any cell: =RATE(68, -118161.59, 4146470.27) - it gives me: 2.2014989%

    However, the below code gives me: 0.0220150136..

    I am expecting it to give me 0.0022014989

    It is only marginally out, but can anyone point me why it is marginally out?

    Any help would be much appreciated

    	public static void main(String[] args) 
    	{
    		double rate1 = Financials.rate(68, 118161.59, 4146470.27);
    		System.out.println(rate1);
    		System.out.println("finished");
     
    	}
    	public static double rate(double nper, double pmt, double pv)
    	{       
    	    double error = 0.0000001; 
    	    double high =  1.00; 
    	    double low = 0.00;
     
    	    double rate = (2.0 * (nper * pmt - pv)) / (pv * nper);
     
    	    while(true) {
    	        // check for error margin
    	        double calc = Math.pow(1 + rate, nper);
    	        calc = (rate * calc) / (calc - 1.0);
    	        calc -= pmt / pv;
     
    	        if (calc > error) {
    	            // guess too high, lower the guess
    	            high = rate;
    	            rate = (high + low) / 2;
    	        } else if (calc < -error) {
    	            // guess too low, higher the guess
    	            low = rate;
    	            rate = (high + low) / 2;
    	        } else {
    	            // acceptable guess
    	            break;
    	        }
    	    }
     
    	    //System.out.println("Rate : "+rate);       
    	    return rate; 
    	}
    Last edited by capricorn86; March 23rd, 2014 at 04:48 AM.


  2. #2
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    Default Re: Excel RATE() function in Java behaving a bit differently

    This - the second answer - is one of the best general answers to your question I found without spending too much time at it. As is mentioned there and several other places, the precision you seek may require the use of BigDecimal.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Excel RATE() function in Java behaving a bit differently

    Hi Greg, thank you very much for the reply. But I am still a bit confused as to BigDecimal, for example:

    double rate1 = Financials.rate(68, 118161.59, 4146470.27);
    System.out.println(new BigDecimal(rate1));
    // prints 0.02201501368381107714977673595058149658143520355224609375

    In Excel, I see 0.022014989..

    But java gives 0.022015013..

    Do you think there is some miscalculation in the java rate() method above for the number being slightly out?

    I even tried changing the input parameters to the rate function to BigDecimal and it still gives me the same results.

    Hope you can help, appreciate any feedback.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Excel RATE() function in Java behaving a bit differently

    Can you post the code showing the new rate() method that was rewritten to use the BigDecimal class?

    --- Update ---

    Also posted at: Excel RATE() function in Java behaving slightly differently
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

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