Excel at Excel Computer Literacy Burlington High School A. Nolte
What is Excel? We use Excel for: • Organizing data • Making calculations • Making sense of data • Charting data • Sharing data in a known format • Presentations A. Nolte
The Basics (Formatting) • Column + Row = Cell • Data addresses on the grid • Formatting cells and information in cells • Expanding cells (width, height) • Format cells (right click cell or “Format/Cell” • Inserting rows and columns Much of the formatting is exactly like Word • The “Lifesaver” • EDIT UNDO or “back” A. Nolte
Data input and basic formatting • Hit “Enter” to advance rows • Hit “Tab” to advance columns Practice: • Col. A: enter numbers (1, 3, 5, …) in odd rows (1,3,5,…39) Enter a 1 in row 1, 3 in row 3, 5 in row 5, etc. • bold every 2nd odd number in column A (1, 5, 9, …) • Col. B: enter numbers in even rows (2, 4, …38) • italicize every 2nd even numbers (2, 6, 10,…) in column B • Col. C: enter letters (a,b,c,…) in all odd rows (up to row 39) Start with an “a” in row 1 (column C), b in row 3, c in row 5… 6. Right align “a” in column “C”, center “b,” left align “c”, center “d”, right align “e”, etc. (slalom shape) A. Nolte
Formatting continued… • Fill column D green all the way to cell D39 • Fill column E red all the way to cell E39 • Insert border around cell D1 and E1 (as heavy as possible) • Write “TOTAL” in D1 and “MINUS” in E1. Bold both titles and center them A. Nolte
Equations (Formulas) - SUM 1. SUM: The SUM equation is written like this: =SUM(cell,cell,cell); try in D2: =SUM(A1,A3) This equation adds up two specific cells because the comma tells Excel to add individual cells that you identify 2. We can also find the SUM of a rangeof cells which is written like this: =SUM(cell:cell) try in D40: =SUM(D1:D39) The colon tells Excel to add up all the cells in between cells given (summation of a range) A. Nolte
Equations (Formulas) - Average • Average - The average function is written like this: 1. =AVERAGE(cell:cell) The colon tells Excel to average a range of cells. Try in A43 : what’s the avg. of all numbers between A1 and A38 ? The AVERAGE equation tells us to take the average of the contents in the cells 2. =AVERAGE(cell,cell,cell,…) We can find the average of multiple cells not in a range (using the comma) A. Nolte
More formulas • Not just adding… Also: Division, subtraction, multiplication: • To divide using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell/cell) • To subtract using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell-cell) • To multiply using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell*cell) A. Nolte
Insert a Function Click an empty cell that you want to add a function to • From the menu bar: click “Insert” and select “Function” • A list of equations will appear – select “SUM” – click OK • Highlight any two cells (with numbers) and click OK • See the result in the cell you had selected • Test this with function AVERAGE A. Nolte
Other Important Equations • We have seen SUM and AVERAGE • Let’s look at: MAX, MIN, and MODE • MAX – finds the highest value in a range • MIN – finds the smallest value in a range • MODE – finds the most common value in a range A. Nolte
EQUATIONS • =MAX(cell:cell) • Or =MAX(cell,cell,cell,cell) • =MIN(cell:cell) • Or =MIN(cell,cell,cell) • =MODE(cell:cell) • Or =MODE(cell,cell) Assignment: Try all three for cells A1 through A39 Use cells B44, B45, B46 for these three Label A44, A45, A46 with “Max” – “Min” – “”Mode” A. Nolte
Inserting a Chart Representing Data • Insert/Chart (or icon Chart Wizard) • Select the type of chart • Highlight ALL info you want represented (including titles) • Name your chart • Next and Finish… • Edit chart to include useful information (title, x/y axis - use “help” to find out how) A. Nolte
