Lesson 26 — Activity 2: Working with Spreadsheets



Getting Ready


So what can you do with the data once you have entered it?

In this lesson, you will learn about simple formulas, and then you will make a spreadsheet in the assignment that follows.



Courtesy of ADLC

One of the most powerful features in using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is the ability to calculate numerical information using formulas. Just like a calculator, Excel can add, subtract, multiply, and divide!

Excel uses standard operators for formulas, such as a plus sign for addition (+), a minus sign for subtraction (-), an asterisk for multiplication (*), and a forward slash for division (/).

All formulas in Excel must begin with an equals sign (=). This is because the cell contains, or is equal to, the formula and the value it calculates.

You can create formulas to make calculations on a spreadsheet. A simple example of a formula is an operation to calculate the total price of something (amount x quantity) or a math calculation (=A1+A4).

Remember!

Important Notes:

  • All formulas must begin with the equals sign (=).
  • No spaces are allowed in a formula.


You must use the following keys for your formulas:

    + for adding
    - for subtracting
    * for multiplying
    / for dividing


While you can create simple formulas in Excel manually (for example, =2+2 or =5*5), most of the time, you will use cell addresses to create a formula. This is known as making a cell reference. Using cell references will ensure that your formulas are always accurate, because you can change the value of referenced cells without having to rewrite the formula.

Courtesy of ADLC

By combining a mathematical operator with cell references, you can create a variety of simple formulas in Excel. Formulas can also include a combination of cell references and numbers, as in the examples below:

Courtesy of ADLC


Creating Formulas in Excel

You will watch a video below on how to create formulas in an Excel spreadsheet. 


To create a formula:


In our example below, we’ll use a simple formula and cell references to calculate a budget.

  1. Select the cell that will contain the formula. In our example, we’ll select B3.



  1.  Type the equals sign (=). Notice how it appears in both the cell and the formula bar.


  1. Type the cell address of the cell you want to reference first in the formula: cell B1 in our example. A blue border will appear around the reference cell.

  1. Type the mathematical operator you want to use. In our example, we'll type the addition sign (+).

  2. Type the cell address of the cell you want to reference second in the formula: cell B2 in our example. A red border will appear around the referenced cell.


  1. Press Enter on your keyboard. The formula will be calculated, and the value will be displayed in the cell.

Courtesy of ADLC

  Self-check!

Try this!


Click here for a Flash activity to see how data and formulas can be used in spreadsheets.

Digging Deeper

Click on the Play button below to watch a video on how to create simple formulas in an Excel spreadsheet.