Excel Lesson 3
Using Formulas and Functions
Microsoft Office 2010
Fundamentals
1
Story / Walls
Objectives

Excel Lesson 3

2



Enter formulas in a worksheet.
Understand cell references.
Copy formulas.
Use functions.
Review and edit formulas.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Vocabulary

Excel Lesson 3







3
absolute reference
argument
arithmetic operator
Auto Fill
comparison operators
constants
error value
fill handle
Story / Walls







formula
Functions
mixed reference
operator
order of operations
relative reference
syntax
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Introduction
Excel Lesson 3

4

The real power of a spreadsheet program
such as Excel is its ability to perform simple
and complex calculations on worksheet data.
Using the commands located on the
Formulas tab of the Ribbon, you can enter
formulas to perform calculations or use
predefined formulas, called functions.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Entering Formulas
Excel Lesson 3

5


A formula is a set of instructions used to perform
calculations on values in a worksheet and must
begin with the equal sign ( = ).
An operator is a sign or symbol that indicates
what calculation is to be performed.
Arithmetic operators are used for addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division, and
exponentiation.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Entering Formulas (continued)
Excel Lesson 3

6


Constants are numbers entered directly into a
formula that do not change.
Cell references identify the cells containing the
values you want to use in the formula. The
results will automatically be updated if the values
in those cells change.
Comparison operators compare two values to
obtain a logical value, either TRUE or FALSE.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Entering Formulas (continued)
The formula is displayed in the formula bar;
the results are displayed in the cell.
Excel Lesson 3

7
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Entering Formulas (continued)
Excel Lesson 3

8
The order of operations is a specific
sequence used to calculate the value of a
formula, from left to right:
1. Exponentiation ( ^ )
2. Multiplication ( * ) or division ( / )
3. Addition ( + ) or subtraction ( - )

To change the order of operations, use
parentheses to group expressions.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Understanding Cell References
and Copying Formulas
Excel Lesson 3

9
A relative reference means the reference to
a cell changes in relation to the location of
the formula.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Understanding Cell References
and Copying Formulas (continued)
Excel Lesson 3

10
An absolute reference is a permanent
reference to a cell and does not change in
relation to the location of the formula.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Understanding Cell References
and Copying Formulas (continued)
A mixed reference contains both relative
and absolute cell references.
Excel Lesson 3

11
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Understanding Cell References
and Copying Formulas (continued)
Excel Lesson 3

12

Auto Fill is a feature that you can use to
automatically fill in worksheet data in any
direction.
You can use it to copy data or formatting or
quickly copy a formula by dragging the fill
handle—a little black square in the lowerright corner of the selected cell.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Using Functions
Excel Lesson 3

13


Built-in formulas, called functions, enable you
to perform complex calculations easily.
A function must follow a set of established
rules, called syntax, that specifies how the
function must be entered.
Most functions require an argument, which
refers to the text, numbers, or cell references
on which the function is to be performed.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Using Functions (continued)
Use the Sum function to quickly total a range
without manually typing the formula.
Excel Lesson 3

14
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Using Functions (continued)
Click the Sum button arrow to display a menu
of the most common statistical functions.
Excel Lesson 3

15
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Using Functions (continued)
Click the Insert Function button to open the
Insert Function dialog box.
Excel Lesson 3

16
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Using Functions (continued)
Excel Lesson 3

17
Once you select a function in the Insert
Function dialog box or from the Ribbon, Excel
opens the Function Arguments dialog box.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Reviewing and Editing Formulas
Excel Lesson 3

18
To display the formulas instead of the resulting
values, click the Show Formulas button in the
Formula Auditing group on the Formulas tab.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Reviewing and Editing Formulas
(continued)
Excel Lesson 3

19
When you click the Error Checking button, Excel
checks for common errors in your worksheet and
displays the Error Checking dialog box.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Reviewing and Editing Formulas
(continued)
Excel Lesson 3

20


Excel indicates when a formula results in an
error by displaying an error value.
A cell with an error displays a triangle in the
upper-left corner.
When you click the cell, an icon is displayed
and you can point to it to display a ScreenTip
describing the type of error.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals
Excel Lesson 3
Summary
21
In this lesson, you learned:
 Ways to enter a formula.
 The different types of cell references.
 How to copy a formula.
 Functions are easy-to-use, predefined formulas
that can be used to perform various calculations.
 Various ways to review and edit formulas.
Story / Walls
MS Office 2010 Fundamentals