Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Professional Looking Fractions.
Excel allows you to easily use formatted fractions in a cell. This is done by using one of the built-in cell formats available in the Number tab of the Format Cells dialog box. Unfortunately, that only results in fractions appearing as two numbers separated by a slash, as in 23/24.
If you want real-looking fractions, where the dividend is actually situated over the divisor, then you are unfortunately limited in what can be done. One option is to use the Equation Editor tool, and another is to locate and use a special font that allows you to position numbers the way you want.
Unfortunately, both approaches result in numbers that can't be used in formulas or calculations. The Equation Editor actually inserts a graphic object, and using special fonts result in numbers being treated as text in the result.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2330) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Professional Looking Fractions.
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2014-06-28 11:13:00
John
Another option to get the numerator above the denominator with a horizontal line between is to use two cells, one above the other, and add a bottom border to the top cell. You can add a whole number to the left of these cells by merging the whole number cells vertically. Any formulas that use these numbers will first need to calculate them as whole + (numerator / denominator).
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
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