User guide for the Microsoft Excel 2010

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Microsoft Excel 2010

By:

Assistant Lecturer: Husam K Salih



Computer Science I

INDEX

Introduction to Microsoft Excel

2010

What is Microsoft Excel 2010

Starting Microsoft Excel 2010

Create a new Blank Workbook

Saving and Sharing Workbooks

Cell Basics and Formatting

Cell Borders and Fill Colors

Formatting Text and Numbers

Modifying Columns, Rows and

Cells

Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Hiding Rows and

Columns

Wrapping Text and Merging Cells

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

Computer Science

Chapter One

Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

1.1 What is Microsoft Excel 2010?

Microsoft Office 2010 is a comprehensive system of programs, servers, services, and

solutions, including a dozen desktop productivity programs that you can install on your

computer, and four new online program versions. To meet the varying needs of individuals

and organizations, Microsoft offers five different Office 2010 software suites, each

consisting of a different subset of programs. The following table identifies the programs

available in each of the software suites.

Microsoft Excel 2010 is a spreadsheet program with which you can analyze, communicates,

and manages information.

Aside from actually typing the workbooks, there are a number of tasks that you will perform

most during your usage of Excel. These tasks include:

Creating new workbooks

Opening existing workbooks

Saving workbooks

Working with text within workbooks

Formatting workbooks

Inserting non-text items

Proofing workbooks

Printing workbooks

Closing workbooks

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1.2 Starting Microsoft Excel 2010

After logging on to Windows 7, the user will be presented with a screen containing a

number of different icons. Start Microsoft Excel 2010 by clicking the Start button then

selecting:

All Programs Microsoft office 2010 Microsoft Excel 2010

When you open Excel 2010 for the first time, the Excel Start Screen will appear. From here,

you'll be able to create a new workbook, choose a template, and access your recently edited

workbooks.

1- From the Excel Start Screen, locate and select Blank workbook to access the Excel

interface.

2- Click Open Other Workbooks to work on an existing workbook.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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1.3 The Excel Interface

After starting Excel, you will see two windows - one within the other. The outer window is

the Application Window and the inner window is the Workbook Window. When

maximized, the Excel Workbook Window blends in with the Application Window.

After completing this module, you should be able to:

1- Identify the components of the Application Window.

2- Identify the components of the Workbook Window.

1- The Application Window

The Application Window provides the space for your worksheets and workbook elements

such as charts. The components of the Application Window are described below.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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The Ribbon

Excel 2010 uses a tabbed Ribbon system instead of traditional menus. The Ribbon contains

multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands. You will use these tabs to perform the

most common tasks in Excel.

To minimize and maximize the Ribbon

The Ribbon is designed to respond to your current task, but you can choose to minimize it if

you find that it takes up too much screen space.

1. Click the Ribbon Display Options arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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2. Select the desired minimizing option from the drop-down menu:

Auto-hide Ribbon: Auto-hide displays your workbook in full-screen mode and

completely hides the Ribbon. To show the Ribbon, click the Expand Ribbon command

at the top of screen.

Show Tabs: This option hides all command groups when not in use, but tabs will

remain visible. To show the Ribbon, simply click a tab.

Show Tabs and Commands: This option maximizes the Ribbon. All of the tabs and

commands will be visible. This option is selected by default when you open Excel for

the first time.

The Backstage View (The File Menu)

Click the File tab on the Ribbon. Backstage view will appear.

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The Formula Bar

In the formula bar, you can enter or edit data, a formula, or a function that will appear in a

specific cell.

In the image below, cell C1 is selected and 1984 is entered into the formula bar. Note how

the data appears in both the formula bar and in cell C1.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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The Name Box

The Name box displays the location, or "name" of a selected cell.

In the figure below, cell B4 is selected. Note that cell B4 is where column B and row 4

intersect.

The Worksheet Views and Zoom Control

Excel 2010 has a variety of viewing options that change how your workbook is displayed.

You can choose to view any workbook in Normal view, Page Layout view, or Page Break

view. These views can be useful for various tasks, especially if you're planning to print the

spreadsheet.

To change worksheet views, locate and select the desired worksheet view command

in the bottom-right corner of the Excel window.

To use the Zoom control, click and drag the slider. The number to the right of the

slider reflects the zoom percentage.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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2- The Workbook Window

In Excel 2010, when you open up a new workbook it now contains only 1 worksheet There

can be a max of 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns in an excel worksheet.

The Worksheet

Excel files are called workbooks. Each workbook holds one or more worksheets (also

known as "spreadsheets").

Whenever you create a new Excel workbook, it will contain one worksheet named Sheet1.

A worksheet is a grid of columns and rows where columns are designated by letters running

across the top of the worksheet and rows are designated by numbers running down the left

side of the worksheet.

When working with a large amount of data, you can create multiple worksheets to help

organize your workbook and make it easier to find content. You can also group worksheets

to quickly add information to multiple worksheets at the same time.

To rename a worksheet

Whenever you create a new Excel workbook, it will contain one worksheet named Sheet1.

You can rename a worksheet to better reflect its content. In our example, we will create a

training log organized by month.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010

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1- Right-click the worksheet you wish to rename, then select Rename from the

worksheet menu.

2- Type the desired name for the worksheet.

3- Click anywhere outside of the worksheet, or press Enter on your keyboard. The

worksheet will be renamed.

To insert a new worksheet

1- Locate and select the new sheet button.

2- A new, blank worksheet will appear.

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To delete a worksheet

1- Right-click the worksheet you wish to delete, then select Delete from the worksheet

menu.

2- The worksheet will be deleted from your workbook.

To copy a worksheet

If you need to duplicate the content of one worksheet to another, Excel allows you to copy

an existing worksheet.

1- Right-click the worksheet you want to copy, then select Move or Copy from the

worksheet menu.

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2- The Move or Copy dialog box will appear. Choose where the sheet will appear in the

before sheet: field. In our example, we'll choose (move to end) to place the worksheet

to the right of the existing worksheet.

3- Check the box next to Create a copy, and then click OK.

4- The worksheet will be copied. It will have the same title as the original worksheet, as

well as a version number.

To move a worksheet

Sometimes you may want to move a worksheet to rearrange your workbook.

1- Select the worksheet you wish to move. The cursor will become a small worksheet

icon.

2- Hold and drag the mouse until a small black arrow appears above the desired

location.

3- Release the mouse. The worksheet will be moved.

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1.4 Create a new Blank Workbook

Excel files are called workbooks. Whenever you start a new project in Excel, you'll need to

create a new workbook. There are several ways to start working with a workbook in Excel

2010. You can choose to create a new workbookeither with a blank workbook or a

predesigned templateor open an existing workbook.

Create a new blank workbook

1- Select the File tab. backstage view will appear.

2- Select New, then click Blank workbook.

3- A new blank workbook will appear.

Open an existing workbook

In addition to creating new workbooks, you'll often need to open a workbook that was

previously saved.

1- Navigate to Backstage view, and then click Open.

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2- Select Computer, and then click Browse.

3- The Open dialog box will appear. Locate and select your workbook, then click Open.

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1.5 Saving and Sharing Workbooks

Whenever you create a new workbook in Excel, you'll need to know how to save it in order

to access and edit it later. As with previous versions of Excel, you can save files locally to

your computer. But unlike older versions, Excel 2010 also lets you save a workbook to the

cloud using OneDrive. You can also export and share workbooks with others directly from

Excel.

Excel offers two ways to save a file: Save and Save As. These options work in similar ways,

with a few important differences:

1- Save : When you create or edit a workbook, you'll use the Save command to save your

changes. You'll use this command most of the time. When you save a file, you'll only

need to choose a file name and location the first time. After that, you can just click the

Save command to save it with the same name and location.

2- Save As: You'll use this command to create a copy of a workbook while keeping the

original. When you use Save As, you'll need to choose a different name and/or location

for the copied version.

To save a workbook

It's important to save your workbook whenever you start a new project or make changes to

an existing one. Saving early and often can prevent your work from being lost. You'll also

need to pay close attention to where you save the workbook so it will be easy to find later.

1- Locate and select the Save command on the Quick Access Toolbar.

2- If you're saving the file for the first time, the Save As pane will appear in Backstage

view.

3- You'll then need to choose where to save the file and give it a file name. To save the

workbook to your computer, select Computer, and then click Browse. Alternatively,

you can click OneDrive to save the file to your OneDrive.

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4- The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to save the

workbook.

5- Enter a file name for the workbook, then click Save.

6- The workbook will be saved. You can click the Save command again to save your

changes as you modify the workbook.

Using Save As to make a copy

If you want to save a different version of a workbook while keeping the original, you can

create a copy. For example, if you have a file named "Sales Data" you could save it as

"Sales Data 2" so you'll be able to edit the new file and still refer back to the original

version.

To do this, you'll click the Save As command in backstage view. Just like when saving a file

for the first time, you'll need to choose where to save the file and give it a new file name.

Chapter 2 Cell Basics and Formatting

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Chapter two

Cell Basics and Formatting

Whenever you work with Excel, you'll enter information, or content, into cells. Cells are the

basic building blocks of a worksheet. You'll need to learn the basics of cells and cell content

to calculate, analyse, and organize data in Excel.

2.1 Understanding Cells

Every worksheet is made up of thousands of rectangles, which are called cells. A cell is the

intersection of a row and a column. Columns are identified by letters (A, B, C), while rows

are identified by numbers (1, 2, 3).

Each cell has its own name, or cell address, based on its column and row. In this example,

the selected cell intersects column C and row 5, so the cell address is C5. The cell address

will also appear in the Name box. Note that a cell's column and row headings are

highlighted when the cell is selected.

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You can also select multiple cells at the same time. A group of cells is known as a cell

range. Rather than a single cell address, you will refer to a cell range using the cell

addresses of the first and last cells in the cell range, separated by a colon. For example, a

cell range that included cells A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 would be written as A1:A5.

In the images below, two different cell ranges are selected:

Cell range A1:B8 Cell range A1:A8

To select a cell range

Sometimes you may want to select a larger group of cells, or a cell range.

1- Click, hold, and drag the mouse until all of the adjoining cells you wish to select are

highlighted.

2- Release the mouse to select the desired cell range. The cells will remain selected until

you click another cell in the worksheet.

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2.2 Cell Content

Any information you enter into a spreadsheet will be stored in a cell. Each cell can contain

several different kinds of content, including text, formatting, formulas, and functions.

Text

Cells can contain text, such as letters, numbers, and dates.

Formatting Attributes

Cells can contain formatting attributes that change the way letters, numbers, and dates are

displayed. For example, percentages can appear as 0.15 or 15%. You can even change a

cell's background color.

Formulas and Functions

Cells can contain formulas and functions that calculate cell values. In our example, SUM

(B4:B7) adds the value of each cell in cell range B4:B7 and displays the total in cell B8.

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To insert content

1- Click a cell to select it.

2- Type content into the selected cell, and then press Enter on your keyboard. The

content will appear in the cell and the formula bar. You can also input and edit cell

content in the formula bar.

To delete cell content

1- Select the cell with content you wish to delete.

2- Press the Delete or Backspace key on your keyboard. The cell's contents will be

deleted.

To delete cells

There is an important difference between deleting the content of a cell and deleting the cell

itself. If you delete the entire cell, the cells below it will shift up and replace the deleted

cells.

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to delete.

2- Select the Delete command from the Home tab on the Ribbon.

3- The cells below will shift up.

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To copy and paste cell content

Excel allows you to copy content that is already entered into your spreadsheet and paste that

content to other cells, which can save you time and effort.

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to copy.

2- Click the Copy command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.

3- Select the cell(s) where you wish to paste the content. The copied cells will now have

a dashed box around them.

4- Click the Paste command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+V on your keyboard.

5- The content will be pasted into the selected cells.

To access more paste options

You can also access additional paste options, which are especially convenient when

working with cells that contain formulas or formatting. To access more paste options, click

the drop-down arrow on the Paste command.

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To use the fill handle

There may be times when you need to copy the content of one cell to several other cells in

your worksheet. You could copy and paste the content into each cell, but this method would

be very time consuming. Instead, you can use the fill handle to quickly copy and paste

content to adjacent cells in the same row or column.

1- Select the cell(s) containing the content you wish to use. The fill handle will appear

as a small square in the bottom-right corner of the selected cell(s).

2- Click, hold, and drag the fill handle until all of the cells you wish to fill are selected.

3- Release the mouse to fill the selected cells.

To continue a series with the fill handle

The fill handle can also be used to continue a series. Whenever the content of a row or

column follows a sequential order, like numbers (1, 2, 3) or days (Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday), the fill handle can guess what should come next in the series. In many cases,

you may need to select multiple cells before using the fill handle to help Excel determine

the series order. In our example below, the fill handle is used to extend a series of dates in a

column.

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2.3 Formatting Cells

All cell content uses the same formatting by default, which can make it difficult to read a

workbook with a lot of information. Basic formatting can customize the look and feel of

your workbook, allowing you to draw attention to specific sections and making your

content easier to view and understand. You can also apply number formatting to tell Excel

exactly what type of data you're using in the workbook, such as percentages (%), currency

($), and so on.

Font Formatting

To change the font

By default, the font of each new workbook is set to Calibri. However, Excel provides a

variety of other fonts you can use to customize your cell text. In the example below, we'll

format our title cell to help distinguish it from the rest of the worksheet.

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font command on the Home tab. The Font

drop-down menu will appear.

3- Select the desired font. A live preview of the new font will appear as you hover the

mouse over different options.

4- The text will change to the selected font.

TIP: When creating a workbook in the workplace, you'll want to select a font that

is easy to read. Along with Calibri, standard reading fonts include Cambria, Times

New Roman, and Arial.

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To change the font size

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Size command on the Home tab. The Font

Size drop-down menu will appear.

3- Select the desired font size. A live preview of the new font size will appear as you hover

the mouse over different options.

4- The text will change to the selected font size.

TIP: You can also use the Increase Font Size and Decrease Font Size commands

or enter a custom font size using your keyboard.

To change the font color

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Color command on the Home tab. The

Color menu will appear.

3- Select the desired font color. A live preview of the new font color will appear as you

hover the mouse over different options.

4- The text will change to the selected font color.

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To use the Bold, Italic, and Underline commands

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the Bold (B), Italic (I), or Underline (U) command on the Home tab. In our

example, we'll make the selected cells bold.

3- The selected style will be applied to the text.

TIP: You can also press Ctrl+B on your keyboard to make selected text bold,

Ctrl+I to apply italics, and Ctrl+U to apply an underline.

Text Alignment

By default, any text entered into your worksheet will be aligned to the bottom-left of a cell.

Any numbers will be aligned to the bottom-right of a cell. Changing the alignment of your

cell content allows you to choose how the content is displayed in any cell, which can make

your cell content easier to read.

To change horizontal text alignment

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Select one of the three horizontal alignment commands on the Home tab. In our

example, we'll choose Center Align.

3- The text will realign.

Chapter 2 Cell Basics and Formatting

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To change vertical text alignment

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Select one of the three vertical alignment commands on the Home tab. In our example,

we'll choose Middle Align.

3- The text will realign.

2.4 Cell Borders and Fill Colors

Cell borders and fill colors allow you to create clear and defined boundaries for different

sections of your worksheet.

To add a border

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders command on the Home tab. The Borders

drop-down menu will appear.

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3- Select the border style you want to use.

4- The selected border style will appear.

TIP: You can draw borders and change the line style and color of borders with the

Draw Borders tools at the bottom of the Borders drop-down menu.

To add a fill color

1- Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Fill Color command on the Home tab. The Fill

Color menu will appear.

3- Select the fill color you want to use. A live preview of the new fill color will appear

as you hover the mouse over different options. In our example, we'll choose Light

Green.

4- The selected fill color will appear in the selected cells.

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2.5 Formatting Text and Numbers

One of the most powerful tools in Excel is the ability to apply specific formatting for text

and numbers. Instead of displaying all cell content in exactly the same way, you can use

formatting to change the appearance of dates, times, decimals, percentages (%), currency

($), and much more.

To apply number formatting

1- Select the cells(s) you wish to modify.

2- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Number Format command on the Home tab. The

Number Formatting drop-down menu will appear.

3- Select the desired formatting option.

4- The selected cells will change to the new formatting style.

Chapter 3 Modifying Columns, Rows and Cells

 Computer Science

Chapter three

Modifying Columns, Rows and Cells

By default, every row and column of a new workbook is always set to the same height and

width. Excel allows you to modify column width and row height in different ways,

including wrapping text and merging cells.

To modify column width

1- Position the mouse over the column line in the column heading so the white cross

becomes a double arrow.

2- Click, hold, and drag the mouse to increase or decrease the column width.

3- Release the mouse. The column width will be changed.

TIP: If you see pound signs (#######) in a cell, it means that the column is not

wide enough to display the cell content. Simply increase the column width to

show the cell content.

To AutoFit column width

The AutoFit feature will allow you to set a column's width to fit its content automatically.

1- Position the mouse over the column line in the column heading so the white cross

becomes a double arrow.

2- Double-click the mouse. The column width will be changed automatically to fit the

content.

TIP: You can also AutoFit the width for several columns at the same time. Simply

select the columns you would like to AutoFit, then select the AutoFit Column

Width command from the Format drop-down menu on the Home tab. This method

can also be used for Row height.

Chapter 3 Modifying Columns, Rows and Cells

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3.1 Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Hiding Rows and Columns

After you've been working with a workbook for a while, you may find that you want to

insert new columns or rows, delete certain rows or columns, move them to a different

location in the worksheet, or even hide them.

To insert rows

1- Select the row heading below where you want the new row to appear.

2- Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

3- The new row will appear above the selected row.

To insert columns

1- Select the column heading to the right of where you want the new column to appear.

2- Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

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3- The new column will appear to the left of the selected column.

TIP: When inserting rows and columns, make sure you select the entire row or

column by clicking the heading. If you select only a cell in the row or column, the

Insert command will only insert a new cell.

To delete rows

It's easy to delete any row that you no longer need in your workbook.

1- Select the row(s) you want to delete.

2- Click the Delete command on the Home tab.

3- The selected row(s) will be deleted, and the rows below will shift up.

To delete columns

1- Select the columns(s) you want to delete.

2- Click the Delete command on the Home tab.

3- The selected columns(s) will be deleted, and the columns to the right will shift left.

TIP: It's important to understand the difference between deleting a row or column

and simply clearing its contents. If you want to remove the content of a row or

column without causing others to shift, right-click a heading, then select Clear

Contents from the drop-down menu.

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To move a row or column

Sometimes you may want to move a column or row to rearrange the content of your

worksheet.

1- Select the desired column heading for the column you wish to move, then click the

Cut command on the Home tab or press Ctrl+X on your keyboard.

2- Select the column heading to the right of where you want to move the column. For

example, if you want to move a column between columns B and C, select column C.

3- Click the Insert command on the Home tab, and then select Insert Cut Cells from the

drop-down menu.

4- The column will be moved to the selected location, and the columns to the right will

shift right.

TIP: You can also access the Cut and Insert commands by right-clicking the

mouse and then selecting the desired commands from the drop-down menu.

To hide and unhide a row or column

At times, you may want to compare certain rows or columns without changing the

organization of your worksheet. Excel allows you to hide rows and columns as needed.

1- Select the column(s) you wish to hide, right-click the mouse, and then select Hide

from the formatting menu.

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2- The columns will be hidden. The green column line indicates the location of the

hidden columns.

3- To unhide the columns, select the columns to the left and right of the hidden columns

(in other words, the columns on both sides of the hidden columns).

4- Right-click the mouse, then select Unhide from the formatting menu. The hidden

columns will reappear.

3.2 Wrapping text and merging cells

Whenever you have too much cell content to be displayed in a single cell, you may decide

to wrap the text or merge the cell rather than resizing a column. Wrapping the text will

automatically modify a cell's row height, allowing cell contents to be displayed on multiple

lines. Merging allows you to combine a cell with adjacent, empty cells to create one large

cell.

1- Select the cells you wish to wrap.

2- Select the Wrap Text command on the Home tab.

3- The text in the selected cells will be wrapped.

TIP: Click the Wrap Text command again to unwrap the text.

Chapter 3 Modifying Columns, Rows and Cells

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To merge cells using the Merge & Center command

1- Select the cell range you want to merge together.

2- Select the Merge & Center command on the Home tab.

3- The selected cells will be merged, and the text will be centered.

To access more merge options

Click the drop-down arrow next to the Merge & Center command on the Home tab. The

Merge drop-down menu will appear. From here, you can choose to:

Merge & Center: Merges the selected cells into one cell and centers the text

Merge Across: Merges the selected cells into larger cells while keeping each row

separate

Merge Cells: Merges the selected cells into one cell, but does not center the text

Unmerge Cells: Unmerges selected cells

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

 Computer Science

Chapter Four

Formulas and Functions

4.1 Simple Formulas:

Just like a calculator, Excel can add, subtract, multiply, and divide. In this lesson, we'll

show you how to use cell references to create simple formulas.

Mathematical operators

Excel uses standard operators for formulas, such as a plus sign for addition (+), a minus

sign for subtraction (-), an asterisk for multiplication (*), a forward slash for division (/),

and a caret (^) for exponents.

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.

Understanding cell references

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.

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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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:

To create a formula

1- Select the cell that will contain the formula.

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

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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3- Type the cell address of the cell you wish to reference first in the formula: cell D1 in

our example. A blue border will appear around the referenced cell.

4- Type the mathematical operator you wish to use. In our example, we'll type the

addition sign (+).

5- Type the cell address of the cell you wish to reference second in the formula: cell D2

in our example. A red border will appear around the referenced cell.

6- Press Enter on your keyboard. The formula will be calculated, and the value will be

displayed in the cell.

TIP: If the result of a formula is too large to be displayed in a cell, it may appear

as pound signs (#######) instead of a value. This means that the column is not

wide enough to display the cell content. Simply increase the column width to

show the cell content.

Modifying values with cell references

The true advantage of cell references is that they allow you to update data in your

worksheet without having to rewrite formulas.

TIP: Excel will not always tell you if your formula contains an error, so it's up to

you to check all of your formulas.

To create a formula using the point-and-click method

Rather than typing cell addresses manually, you can point and click on the cells you wish to

include in your formula. This method can save a lot of time and effort when creating

formulas. In our example below, we'll create a formula to calculate the cost of ordering

several boxes of plastic silverware.

1- Select the cell that will contain the formula. In our example, we'll select cell D3.

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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2- Type the equals sign (=).

3- Select the cell you wish to reference first in the formula: cell B3 in our example. The

cell address will appear in the formula, and a dashed blue line will appear around the

referenced cell.

4- Type the mathematical operator you wish to use. In our example, we'll type the

multiplication sign (*).

5- Select the cell you wish to reference second in the formula: cell C3 in our example.

The cell address will appear in the formula, and a dashed red line will appear around

the referenced cell.

6- Press Enter on your keyboard. The formula will be calculated, and the value will be

displayed in the cell.

Formulas can also be copied to adjacent cells with the fill handle, which can save a lot of

time and effort if you need to perform the same calculation multiple times in a worksheet.

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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To edit a formula

Sometimes you may want to modify an existing formula. In the example below, we've

entered an incorrect cell address in our formula, so we'll need to correct it.

1- Select the cell containing the formula you wish to edit.

2- Click the formula bar to edit the formula. You can also double-click the cell to view

and edit the formula directly within the cell.

3- A border will appear around any referenced cells.

4- When finished, press Enter on your keyboard or select the Enter command in the

formula bar.

5- The formula will be updated, and the new value will be displayed in the cell.

TIP: If you change your mind, you can press the Esc key on your keyboard or

click the Cancel command in the formula bar to avoid accidentally making

changes to your formula.

4.2 Complex Formulas

A simple formula is a mathematical expression with one operator, such as 7+9. A complex

formula has more than one mathematical operator, such as 5+2*8. When there is more than

one operation in a formula, the order of operations tells Excel which operation to calculate

first. In order to use Excel to calculate complex formulas, you will need to understand the

order of operations.

Order of operations

Excel calculates formulas based on the following order of operations:

1. Operations enclosed in parentheses

2. Exponential calculations (3^2, for example)

3. Multiplication and division, whichever comes first

4. Addition and subtraction, whichever comes first

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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Creating complex formulas

In the example below, we will demonstrate how Excel solves a complex formula using the

order of operations. Here, we want to calculate the cost of sales tax for an invoice. To do

this, we'll write our formula as = (D2+D3)*0.075 in cell D4. This formula will add the

prices of our items together and then multiply that value by the 7.5% tax rate (which is

written as 0.075) to calculate the cost of sales tax.

TIP: It is especially important to enter complex formulas with the correct order of

operations. Otherwise, Excel will not calculate the results accurately. In our

example, if the parentheses are not included, the multiplication is calculated first

and the result is incorrect. Parentheses are the best way to define which

calculations will be performed first in Excel.

Chapter 4 Formulas and Functions

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4.3 Exercises

Exercise 1: Calculate the total grade of the following students for the

Computer Science Subject.

Exercise 2: Calculate the average of the following students for the

following Subjects.

Exercise 3: Calculate the (Max & Min) of the following Grades.

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