How to build dice for excel

1. How to build dice for excel Mr. Ramsay

2. Make the die • To make the die simply merge cells to make a range of cells that look like this?

3. Remember a die consists of a number from 1-6 • Each time you roll a die you will get a random Number from 1-6. To duplicate this you must determine a formula in a cell that represents this random number. Can you think of the formula? • How about? • Randbetween. =randbetween(1,6) • Lets say we put this formula in Cell A1 • Try it

4. randbetween • Once your randbetween formula has been created you must attach the formula to your dice using if statements. For example if a number 3 has been randomly selected how do you make a die look like a number 3.

5. Look at each die, determine what is needed in each cell to make that number

6. Look at each die, determine what is needed in each cell to make that number

7. Look at the die which represents a 2. What other numbers also need a dot in the top left hand corner?

8. formula • So what you are saying by looking at the images it that numbers 2,3,4,5,6 all need a dot placed in the top left hand corner for all numbers rolled EXCEPT the number 1. • What will your if statement look like? Remember you need a dot for all numbers in the random formula cell except the number 1

9. So your formula will be? • =if(A1>1,”l”,””) • Ok so what does this formula really say? • If the formula we put in cell A1 is a number greater than 1 (remember it can only be from 1-6) then we want to put a l in the cell. If not we want to leave the cell blank.

10. Why the letter l? • We use the letter l for the simple reason when we change the font to Wingdings the letter l is a l • The dot then needs to be centered horizontally and middle aligned to make it look right. If you did this right is should look like this

11. Try it! • Hit f9 (remember this is a manual calculation shortcut) • Every time you hit f9 and you roll a number larger than 1, you should have a dot appear. If you roll a 1, the cell should remain blank.

12. Lets try another • Ok look at this die…. • Now look at the cell with the arrow pointing to it. • What number(s) require a dot here?

13. A 6? • If you said only a 6 you are correct. So how do we go about adding that dot? • If your randbetween formula (Cell A1 for this demonstration) selects the random number 6 you need to place a dot there. • Does any other number require a dot? • NOPE

14. Formula for • Again you are going to reference your randbetween cell • If(A1=>6,”l”,””) • Try it • Hit f9 until a 6 appears. Does a dot appear in the right place? • Don’t forget to change the cell to windings and middle align and Horizontal center the letter

15. How about this • What cells require a dot in the middle? • Did you answer 1, 3, or 5 • If you did you were correct. • This is the hardest formula of the die • It uses both the if function and the or function • If your random number is an 1, or a 3, or a 5 you need a dot to appear

16. How do you do it? • This cell require both if, or • You will also need 2 sets of () • Lets try it • If(or( is how this formula starts. • Can you do it from here?

17. The beginning of the formula • =if(or( • Then you should refer back to your randbetween cell formula • If A1=1, or A1=3 or A1=5 you need a dot. • =if(or(A1=1,A1=3,A1=5),’’l’’,””) • Try it (if you roll a 1, 3, or 5 you should have a dot appear in the center box of the slide.

18. Ok that should get you started • Try your luck, see what you can come up with!