DECADES OF INCONSISTENCIES IN EXCEL AND MICROSOFT’S STRATEGIC SILENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR MATHEMATICAL ACCURACY AND GLOBAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The Microsoft Excel software is widely used as an educational tool in schools, universities, and professional environments. However, it presents conceptual, operational, and semantic limitations that compromise both pedagogical rigor and mathematical reliability. This article analyzes recurrent failures in calculations, nomenclature, Boolean logic, and operator precedence, highlighting their significant impact on the teaching of mathematics, statistics, and finance. Comparative tests were carried out among Excel, Windows Calculator, Copilot, and free spreadsheet software, revealing conceptual discrepancies and inconsistent results. Although the Windows Calculator shares some divergences, it performs correctly the calculations that Excel evaluates inaccurately, suggesting that the origin of such inconsistencies lies in structural decisions within the software. It was also observed that Excel Copilot can overcome part of these errors, indicating that the corrections are technically feasible, although not yet incorporated into the traditional version. The article proposes that Microsoft implement parallel functions — semantically precise and pedagogically appropriate — capable of coexisting with the current ones, reconciling historical compatibility with greater conceptual accuracy. In addition to operational limitations, semantic inconsistencies were identified in mathematical functions and in the VBA language, which may contribute to the development of imprecise concepts. Teaching with Excel is different from calculating with Excel — and this discrepancy may compromise the education of millions of students worldwide.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.011-001