Chap. 2: Gaining Proficiency
(pp. 44-52, including HOE #1)
 Formulas:
Combinations of cell addresses, literals (or constants), operators, and functions.
Not much on operators in the text (see Excel Help index for: "operator: Calculation operators in formulas" )
ArithmeticOperators:
exponentiation: ____
multiplication:
*
division:
/
addition:
+
subtraction: –
 Operator precedence (or priority) refers to the ________________________________________________
[Order above is ____________ to _____________ ]
If operators have same precedence, evaluate ______________________________________
Can be overridden using _________
(see Excel Help index for: "operator: The order in which Microsoft Excel performs operations in formulas" )
= B1^C1 ______
= A1 + B1^C1 ______
= C1 – B1 + A1 ______
= A1 / B1 * C1 _____
= (A1 + B1)^C1 ______
= C1 – (B1 + A1)______
Other operators:
Comparison:
=
<
>
<>
<=
>=
Percent: %
Example:
= C1 * D1% _____________
String concatenation: &
Example:
= A2 & B2
_____________
 Ranges and Selections:
Many Excel functions — e.g., SUM( ) — operate on ranges and selections.
(See fx on Standard toolbar)
Range of cells: a __________________________________ of cells, indicated by an expression of the form:
_________________________________, usually _________________________________
– Can be a single cell — e.g.
A1:A1
– Can select with “click and drag” or shift and arrow keys
Selection of cells: addresses and ranges separated by ______________
– To select with click and drag: hold down Ctrl key
 What's one advantage of operating on a range of cells instead of on exact cell references?
Example: SUM( range) — see  (“sigma” ) on Standard toolbar — instead of address1 + address2 + ...
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 Copying Cells
 source range — “animated dash border” (Esc to turn off)
target range — exact range (ERROR if size mismatch) or just “anchor”
Can we copy rows to columns or vice versa?
Paste Special and Transpose (other interesting options there, too)
Fill Handle (Very handy — works like copy and paste; Chap. 3, p. 96)
– Lower right corner
– Can also use to generate a series of numbers, dates, times
 Cell References
 Relative Addresses
> By default, cell addresses in formulas are relative addresses;
they are based upon their position relative to the cell that contains the formula.
> Analogy: Giving someone directions that explain where to go from starting out
— e.g., "go two blocks east and three blocks south"
 When copying a formula, changes in relative cell addresses are the same as the change in the
formula's location.
— e.g., "two blocks right and three cells down"
Example:
A
B
1
C
D
E
= A2 + B3
2 100
500
3 200
600
4 300
700
5 400
800
How does formula change if we copy C1 to:
C2:
D1:
D2:
E5:
A1:
 is very useful! However, always check the formulas produced!
 Absolute Addresses
> These don't change when copied.
> Indicated using _____ symbol before both row and column label Examples:
A 1
A 1: A 9
 Mixed addresses have one part (row or column) that can change, other does not
That is, only one of row or column label has a $
Examples:
 Use the _______ key to cycle through the relative, absolute, and mixed form of an address.
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(p. 118)
 Moving Cells
 Implemented using cut and paste
— or Ctrl-X (and Ctrl-V to Paste)
— or Shift-Delete (and Shift-Insert to Paste)
 Excel tries to preserve the "intent" of a formula that is moved.
— Warning: This can get very tricky!
Example: Add two cells (A1 and A2), put in A3: = A1 + A2 What happens to the formula if we:
Copy A3 to another cell?
Move A3 to another cell?
Move a value cell (e.g. A1)?
Move all three cells A1, A2, A3?
Use absolute address in A3 and then move it?
Create a dependent cell (e.g. B1 = A3* 4 ) then move the formula in A3?
 Moral: Don't move (i.e., cut and paste) formulas!
 Isolate assumptions!
Don't use constants (literals) in formulas if:
 The user of your spreadsheet information should know what they represent.
 They may need to changed some time later.
Rather, put them in clearly marked cells.
 Note: Use absolute cell addresses for these cells when they're used in formulas.
 Formatting Cells (pp. 53-67, including HOE #2)
 Column width, Row height
– Use Format menu / Row (or Column)
– Shortcut: Drag or double-click on right border of column heading
or bottom border of row heading.
– If too narrow, Excel displays: #######
 Lots of options in Format/Cells
– Shortcut: Ctrl - 1
– Shortcut: Right Click
e.g., Use Number tab to change how a number is displayed
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 Can use Format Toolbar for:
Font/size selection, alignment, merging cells, $, %, comma, increase/decrease # of decimal places
 Format Painter (little paintbrush)
– Copies formatting
– Automatically "shuts off" after use
To get it to stay on until you turn it off__________________________
and use ___________________ to turn it off.
 Other Useful/Interesting Items:
 Inserting a Comment for a cell (Insert menu or Right click...)
 Page Setup: Portrait and Landscape; Fit to one page; . . .
 Internet items (pp. 68-74, including HOE #3)
– Can add a hyperlink in a cell
(Insert/Hyperlink)
Click on it to go to that web page via browser
– Can save a workbook, worksheet, or a selected part of a worksheet as a web page
(File/Save as Web Page)
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