VAL                      Numeric Value of a String

 y = VAL(stringexpr)

    Returns the numeric value represented by a string expression.

  stringexpr    A string expression.

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      Notes:    VAL attempts to extract a number from the first characters
                of its argument. In doing so, it ignores leading blanks,
                tabs, and line feeds, and treats a single hyphen as
                signifying negation. For example, VAL("   -32 Main
                Street") returns -32.

                If the first character in the argument (or the first
                character following all space and tab characters) is a
                letter, VAL returns 0. Thus, for example, VAL("Yomama")
                returns 0.