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Because the numbers cubed are way larger than the numbers that Excel can represent precisely. Excel uses 64-bit IEEE 754 floats for all arithmetic. They can be used to accurately describe integers smaller than 2^53, or ~10^16. The first number cubed is ~-5*10^50, so you are very clearly outside the range where excel is precise.

You should not use Excel to do any serious mathematics, or really anything else where numerical precision is important.



Why is it that a program that people use for accounting doesn’t use arbitrary precision arithmetic?


Because for accounting the numbers easily fit in the supported range; even the US National Debt (https://www.usdebtclock.org/)...




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