Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets
WHAT IS A SPREADSHEET
• Allows for automatic calculations to be done by using formulae, so that if a value changes
the calculation automatically recalculates.
• Calculations are error free
• You can format the worksheet into a professional looking document.
• You can move or copy sections of a worksheet to another area of the worksheet or
another worksheet.
• Insert or delete rows or columns at any position in the worksheet.
• Sort and filter the entries in the worksheet.
• Create graphs and charts from the data.
SPREADSHEET BASICS
• Rows – these run left to right horizontally and their position is designated by a number.
• Columns – these run from top to bottom vertically and their position is designated by a
letter.
• Cells – these are rectangle boxes formed from the intersection of a row and a column.
Each cell in the spreadsheet is identified by a cell address or cell reference e.g B6 means
the cell is in Column B and row 6.
• Range – identifies a rectangular block of cells e.g B6: E6
• Worksheet – a single page in a spreadsheet file.
• Workbook – Contains one or more worksheets in a spreadsheet file.
TYPES OF DATA
• Addition +
• Subtraction –
• Multiplication *
• Division /
• Exponentiation ^ (raising to a power)
SUM FUNCTION
• Using + e.g. = B3 + C3 + D3 + E3
To insert a row/column first highlight the row or column where you want to insert
the row then click Insert row above or below / column above or below.
To delete a row or column highlight the row or column you want to delete, right
To create a graph or chart, first highlight the data you want to use to for the chart and then
click on Insert and then Chart and choose the chart type. The following Charts can be
created in Spreadsheets:-
• Column / Bar Graph
• Pie Chart
• Line Chart
• Scatter Graph
SORTING
In order to sort, first highlight the table or column you wish to sort.
This refers to one particular cell address and that should not be changed or adjusted when the
formula is copied to another cell using fill handle. We do this by using a dollar sign before and
after the column letter of the cell address e.g $B$1.. If we want to find 5% of price, we want to
keep multiplying price by 5% which is in B1. Price starts at A2 and ends at A8. In B2 we place
the formula = A2 * $B$1 (to calculate 5% of price). We can then fill handle to A8.
RANK
This returns a number in relation to a list of numbers e.g the highest number in a list of
numbers would return 1.
Syntax of RANK
= RANK (number, range)
Example: If we want to rank A2 in a list of marks from A2:A9 then the formula would be:
=RANK (A2,$A$2:$A$9)
Note the range should remain the same when you fill handle so we use absolute addressing.
THE END.