Microsoft Office Excel 2013
Answers to Review Questions
Lesson 1
1.
List some benefits of using an electronic spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets are extremely useful for solving financial and statistical problems, performing “what-if”
analyses, and displaying charts and graphs.
2.
Explain the difference between a workbook and a worksheet.
A worksheet document is similar to an extremely large sheet of paper divided into rows and columns,
whereas a workbook is a single Excel file containing one or more worksheets, for example, Sheet1,
Sheet2, Sheet3.
3.
Explain how commands are grouped on the Ribbon and how you access them.
The Ribbon consists of command buttons that are grouped by the type of task and can be accessed by
clicking the appropriate tab, navigating to the group that contains the type of task you want and then
clicking the command button. In some cases, the command may have a drop-down arrow that
provides other options. If so, click the drop-down to select another command. Many groups also have
a small icon (called a dialog box launcher) at the lower right of the group, which activates a dialog box
or task pane with more options for this feature.
4.
Explain how you can access the Ribbon using the keyboard and then how to access the commands.
You can also access the Ribbon using the keyboard by pressing the Alt or F10 key. Excel then displays
icons that reference the keys on the keyboard. Pressing these keys will activate the buttons on the
Ribbon or open the tab to show the buttons in that Ribbon tab.
5.
Explain when it is better to create a blank workbook and when it is better to create a new workbook
using a template.
Create a new workbook when you want to enter information using your own layout. Create a workbook
using a template if you want to use a design and layout previously created, either to enter data or to
use as a base for your own reports.
6.
Explain the difference between using the Save and Save As commands.
The first time you save a workbook, you always see the Save As option to enter a name for the new file.
Once the file has been saved, the Save command will save any changes made to the existing file,
overwriting the one previously saved. If you want to save the existing workbook with a new name, such
as in the case of a new department budget for the next year, use the Save As command.
7.
Provide examples of different types of data.
The different types are text values, numeric values and formulas. Formulas generally use cell references
containing numeric values or functions to perform a calculation.
8.
List different formats you can use to enter a date so that Excel will recognize it as a date value.
Dates can be entered using the following formats:
September 15, 2013 (you must include the comma followed by a space)
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
1
Answer Key
Review Questions
Sep 15, 13
15-Sep-13
09/15/13 (assuming your region setting uses month/day/year sequence)
9-15-13
Sep 2013
Sep 15
9.
Explain why you would save a workbook using a previous Excel version format.
Excel allows you to save your workbook in the Excel 97-2003 or the Excel 5.0/95 format because you
may need to share it with someone who is using an older version of Excel.
10. Explain how you can select different areas of a worksheet at the same time and why you might want to
use this feature.
To select different areas of a worksheet, use the Ctrl key as you click to select other cells. This can be
handy when you want to perform a similar task for multiple cells that are not adjacent to each other.
Lesson 2
1.
Suppose you used the Copy and then the Paste command to copy the contents of cells A1 to cell B1,
but you do not want to copy the cell formatting to cell B1. What can you do to fix it?
You can use the Paste Special command instead, and select the Values option.
2.
Provide examples of when using the AutoFit command would be the best option to change the width
of a column.
AutoFit can be handy when you want the column to be a specific width based on the longest entry in
that column. It can also save time instead of guessing the width for a particular column.
3.
Explain how pressing Delete to delete the contents of a cell differs from using the Delete Cells
command.
Deleting the contents of a cell leaves the structure of the worksheet intact. If you use the Delete Cells
command, you have the option of shifting the cells after the delete action is complete.
4.
Provide examples of when you may want to hide rows or columns.
You may want to hide rows or columns when you want to prevent other users from seeing the data in
these hidden rows or columns. In other situations, you may be improving the readability of your
worksheet by reducing the number of rows or columns of data to print together on a single page, or to
hide cells that only contain intermediate calculations for otherwise complex formulas.
5.
Explain the difference between using the Copy and AutoFill features.
Copy Cells: You copy text, values or formulas with their formatting. This does not create a series.
Fill Series: You create a simple linear series and copy the formatting of the source cell. A series is a
sequentially incrementing or decrementing set of values, such as 1 2 3 4, Sun Mon Tue, -5 -10 -15 -20,
Jun Jul Aug Sep.
6.
How would you set up the values if the AutoFill series is not a common series, such as weekdays,
months or years?
You would enter the pattern for the series so that AutoFill would be able to detect how to complete
the series. For example, Apr 5 Apr 12 tells Excel that the pattern is 7 days between dates.
2
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
Review Questions
7.
Answer Key
Provide examples of when you might want to duplicate a worksheet.
Examples could include changing the data in a worksheet to create a what-if analysis, or entering data
into a new version of that worksheet instead of in the “original” one, something like using a template.
8.
What is the maximum length of a worksheet tab name?
The maximum length of a worksheet tab is 31 characters.
9.
How many new worksheets can you add to an Excel workbook?
You can add as many worksheets as the available memory of your system will permit.
10. When you insert a new worksheet using the Insert Worksheet tab, the new worksheet tab appears:
a.
To the left of the current worksheet tab
b.
To the far left of all worksheet tabs
c.
To the far right of all worksheet tabs
d.
In a random position, depending on which worksheet is active
e.
To the right of the current worksheet tab
Lesson 3
1.
List which standard math operators Excel uses and what is their order of precedence.
*
/
+
-
2.
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction
Give examples of how using formulas to perform a what-if analysis is beneficial to you.
By using formulas in what-if analyses, you will save time, eliminate calculation errors, and reduce
personal frustration whenever you change the numbers for the many scenarios you may create.
3.
Which of the following are invalid?
a) =MAX(B5:B15)
b) =MAX(B5,B6,B7,B8,B9,B10,B11,B12,B13,B14)
c) =MAX(B5:B7,B8:B10,B11:B15)
d) =MAX(B1,B5:B8,B9:B15)
e)All of the above are invalid formulas
f) None – all are valid formulas
g) c
h) b, c, and d
4.
Define the different parts of a reference to other worksheets using the reference Tours!B4 as an
example.
A cell reference to another worksheet has two components using the format <worksheet name>!<cell
reference>, In the example, ”Tours” refers to the name of the worksheet where you can find the data
and ”B4” is the address of this cell in the referenced worksheet.
5.
What is the main difference between an IF function and other functions discussed in this lesson such as
SUM, AVERAGE, and UPPER?
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
3
Answer Key
Review Questions
Most of the functions discussed in this lesson will perform their operation on all of the cells specified in
their argument list. For example, the function =SUM(A1:D1) will calculate the sum total for every cell
from A1 to D1. However, a conditional function will perform the logical test first, and will then perform
the operation or an alternative. An IF conditional function will perform one of two possible calculations,
depending on the results of the logical test. The conditional summary functions will only perform the
operation as long as the cell meets the logical test. For example, =SUMIF(A1:D1,”>10”) will look at each
cell from A1 to D1 and calculate the sum total for all cells that contain a value of greater than 10.
6.
Are the LEFT and MID functions fully interchangeable? In other words, can you always use the LEFT
function instead of MID, as well as using MID instead of LEFT?
The MID function can always be used instead of LEFT, simply by entering a “1” as the starting position.
The LEFT function can only be used to replace a MID function if you are extracting text starting from
the far left (position 1) of the text string.
7.
Explain the difference between absolute and relative cell references.
A relative cell reference is one that, when copied, will be adjusted in the new location based on the
relative position of the original formula’s input cells. An absolute cell reference tells Excel that this
formula will always reference the same cell, even when you copy the formula to another cell.
8.
Provide examples of when or why it may be beneficial to print the formulas in the worksheet.
You may want to print the formulas in a worksheet to see all of them at the same time, such as when
checking their accuracy.
Lesson 4
1.
What is Live Preview?
Live preview is an Excel feature that temporarily changes the appearance of the selected cell(s) to the
format that your mouse is currently pointing to on the Ribbon. If you move your mouse away, the
selected cell(s) revert to their current format.
2.
How do data appear in a cell if the alignment is set to General?
With the alignment set to General, numeric, date and time values align to the right, whereas text values
align to the left.
3.
How can applying colors or patterns be useful in a worksheet?
Applying colors or patterns can help to identify or emphasize areas in the worksheet such as totals,
trends or patterns in the values, and column titles.
4.
How does applying themes differ from applying formatting features individually?
Applying themes can be an easier way to format a worksheet because a pre-built theme includes a
specific set of colors and fonts which Excel can apply to all data on the worksheet. If you apply the
formatting individually then you have to apply the settings to each cell or range of cells, which may be
more time consuming than using a theme.
5.
Give an example of when you might want to change a theme in a workbook.
Themes are very useful for creating a consistent look for all of your documents, whether they are
letters, spreadsheets or slide presentations. By maintaining a consistent theme for these documents,
you can create an identity that external customers, suppliers, and others can quickly recognize.
6.
4
What is the difference between clicking the Format Painter once and clicking it twice?
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
Review Questions
Answer Key
Click the Format Painter once to apply the formatting attributes to only one other cell or cell range.
Double-click the Format Painter to apply the formatting attributes to as many cells or cell ranges as
you want until you click it again to turn it off.
7.
Give some examples of why you might want to use styles on cells in the worksheet.
Apply styles on cells to display a more professional look in the worksheet, possibly emphasizing
specific areas or helping the viewer read or understand the data better. Another reason is to make it
easier to change the formatting of multiple cells at the same time by changing the formatting settings
in the style.
8.
Explain what conditional formatting is and provide examples of how you can use it to find or enhance
data.
Use conditional formatting to set a different format (within certain limitations) for a cell depending on
the value that the cell contains. The format can, therefore, change automatically with different values
without having to make the changes manually.
Lesson 5
1.
Give examples of when it can be helpful to use the different types of worksheet window arrangement
such as tiled, horizontal, vertical, or cascade.
Select the tiled, horizontal, or vertical options when comparing the data in two or more windows at the
same time. The windows may be different areas of the same worksheet or different workbooks. The
choice of tiled, horizontal, or vertical depends on how you have laid out the data within the window—
each option resizes the windows differently. Cascading the worksheets enables you to keep the size of
each worksheet window as large as possible instead of dividing the screen into small display areas for
each workbook.
2.
Explain when you would split the panes of a worksheet instead of setting up a tiled arrangement of
two or four windows.
Both options will achieve the same end result. Splitting the panes is faster to set up and uses slightly
less screen space than a tiled arrangement because only one worksheet window is used. However, each
pane can only display different parts of the same worksheet. Using two or four windows will display the
same workbook in different windows, each of which has their own set of horizontal and vertical scroll
bars.
3.
Give examples of when you might freeze the panes.
You might freeze the panes on a large worksheet where you need to lock certain rows or columns on
the screen while viewing any part of that worksheet. For example, freeze the column titles or the labels
in the first three columns to show the performance in the most recent years compared to the last five
years.
4.
Explain why you should preview a worksheet prior to printing.
Previewing the worksheet before printing allows you to check how the worksheet will print and prevent
paper from being wasted. For instance, the report may be too wide to fit a portrait orientation, thereby,
requiring you to either shrink the size to fit or to change the orientation to landscape.
5.
Explain how the different worksheet views can help you with previewing or printing worksheets.
The Normal view is a good choice for entering or modifying data. The Page Break Preview identifies
where the page breaks occur in the worksheet and allows you to adjust them to where you want them.
You use the Page Layout view to add or modify headers and footers, and see which rows and columns
will appear on different pages.
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
5
Answer Key
6.
Review Questions
Give examples of when adding a header or footer can be helpful in the worksheet.
Every printed worksheet should have a header and footer to help readers identify the data presented
on the pages by including a heading label and print date on every page. With a multi-page worksheet,
the header or footer should also include page numbers so that readers can keep the pages in the
correct sequence.
7.
What is the difference between using the Scale and the Width and Height settings in the Ribbon?
The Scale setting enables you to zoom the report by a specific percentage. In contrast, the Width and
Height settings tell Excel to automatically resize the report to the number of pages you specify for the
width and height.
8.
Explain what are the similarities and differences between printing a header and printing titles for a
worksheet.
Both settings cause Excel to print the same text on every page of the report. However, titles are actual
data cells from the worksheet. In contrast, page headers are either non-changing text entered directly
or that display the current date, time, or filename at the top of the printed report. Page headers and
footers appear within the document’s top and bottom margins.
Lesson 6
1.
Provide examples of when you might want to use a chart to show the data in the worksheet.
You may want to use a chart in your worksheet because others may find it easier to examine and
understand a pictorial representation of the data. This is especially the case when trying to identify any
trends or patterns in the data.
2.
List at least five different types of charts.
The different types of charts include column, line, pie, bars, area, XY (scatter chart), stock, surface, radar,
and combo.
3.
Describe the limitation you have when selecting data to create a pie chart compared to other chart
types.
A pie chart can only show one series of data. All other chart types can handle multiple data series.
4.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of exploding pieces from the pie on a pie chart.
When you explode pieces from a pie, you emphasize that particular piece and draw the reader’s eye to
it. Exploding multiple pieces of the pie can produce a different effect on the chart. However, it can also
be distracting to the audience and, therefore, lose the point of exploding the pie piece(s).
5.
Provide examples of what changes you can make to the chart design.
You can add or remove a chart element (such as the chart title or legend), select a different predefined
chart layout, select different set of predefined colors, select a different chart style, exchange the data
rows and columns, select a different set of worksheet data, change the chart type, and move the chart
between a worksheet and a chart sheet.
6.
List the three different types of sparkline charts and provide examples of when you might use each
type.
The three types of sparkline charts are:
Line—used to show trends and the relative sizes of each value compared to the other points in the
chart.
6
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
Answer Key
Review Questions
Column—used to show trends and the relative size of each value compared to the other points in the
chart.
Win/Loss—used to show at a glance those values that are positive and those that are negative.
7.
If you have a worksheet that contains both a chart and the data for the chart, you have the ability to
select only the chart to print on its own.
a)
True
b)
False
True. When printing a chart, only the chart appears on the paper without the data. This is true whether
the chart is on its own chart sheet or positioned in a worksheet next to the source data.
8.
Explain how you would draw a shape such as a rectangle. Begin with selecting it and continue to
drawing it on the worksheet.
Start on the Insert tab and, in the Illustrations group, click Shapes. Click the shape from the displayed
list. Excel then displays a crosshair which you use to mark the top left corner of the shape. Then, click
and drag the crosshair to the width and height you want for the shape. When you release the mouse
button, the shape will display at that location.
9.
Provide at least two examples of what you can do with a graphic object after you have selected it.
Once you have selected an object, you can perform tasks such as changing the shape fill color or line
style, adding and removing shape effects, copying, moving and deleting the shape, and adjusting the
size, shape (or aspect ratio) and scale of the shape.
10. Give examples of the types of formatting you can apply to a graphic object.
You can apply formatting options such as changing the color fill or line, adding two- or threedimensional effects, changing the style of the objects, and adding shadow effects.
11. Provide an example of how you might use WordArt in a worksheet.
WordArt can be used to display text in a very bold and colorful manner to emphasize specific areas of
the worksheet. You can use a variety of formatting options to make the text stand out.
12. Provide at least four examples of the types of formatting that you can apply to both pictures and clip
art.
You can format pictures and clip art with different levels of brightness and contrast, different colors,
artistic effects, borders, picture effects, layouts, visual styles, cropping, and different heights and
widths.
13. Provide examples of when you might want to use SmartArt in a workbook.
SmartArt can help you organize text using a diagram that shows how different pieces of text relate to
each other instead of simply listing information in rows or columns on a worksheet.
14. Provide an example of why you would use the Text pane for a SmartArt diagram.
The text pane is used to enter text to be displayed in the SmartArt. Each text bullet appears as a
separate shape, unless the bullet is demoted.
Lesson 7
1.
Give examples of why you might want to name cell ranges instead of using the cell references.
Assigning names to cells or cell ranges can help to identify the purpose of the range of cells, prevent
errors when inserting these cell references into formulas, and make the spreadsheet easier to read with
meaningful names.
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
7
Answer Key
2.
Review Questions
What restrictions are in place regarding range names?
Range names are limited to no more than 255 characters in length. The names may contain alphabetic
or numeric characters, underscores, backslashes, periods, or question marks. Blank spaces are not
permitted and the first character of the name must be alphanumeric, an underscore, or a backslash.
3.
What can you use the Name Manager for?
It can be used to change the cell range that you are referencing, add new named ranges, change the
name of existing ranges, or delete a range name.
4.
5.
6.
To create a table, the following conditions must be met (select all that apply):
a)
The data in the range of cells must be contiguous.
b)
All of the data must be of the same type, such as text, numbers, or dates but not a mixture.
c)
The data can be arranged in row or column order.
d)
Any range names must be removed first before creating the table.
e)
There must be a header at the top of each column and the data listed below.
Banding a table means to (select all that apply):
a)
Discard the contents of a table.
b)
Apply a light and dark shade of a color to alternating rows of a table.
c)
Apply a “band-aid” fix to the table data.
d)
Apply a light and dark shade of a color to alternating columns of a table.
e)
Create a musical performing group to headline the latest chart hits.
What is the difference between sorting and filtering?
Sorting changes the sequence of the data into ascending or descending order but all of the data
continues to remain displayed. Filtering does not make any changes to the data including the
sequence but does hide rows or columns of data temporarily.
7.
Why do you need to tell Excel whether you have headers in the data?
This indicator is used to ensure the top row of text remains at the top while the rest of the data is
sorted. If the headers are accidentally included in the sorting, you must manually move them back to
the top of the data.
8.
Provide an example of when you might set up multiple levels for sorting.
Multiple levels of sorting are useful whenever the column you are using for sorting has multiple rows
with the same value. For example, you might want to sort a list of people’s names by last name first
and then by their first name if two or more people have the same last name.
9.
8
Which of the following comparison operators can be used for filtering text, numbers, and dates (select
all that apply):
a)
Above average.
b)
Greater than.
c)
Top 10.
d)
Equals.
e)
Between.
f)
Begins with.
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
Answer Key
Review Questions
g)
Next month.
h)
Contains.
i)
Does not equal.
j)
Greater than or equal to.
10. The Remove Duplicates feature will reliably delete all rows that contain duplicate data even though the
data may have minor variations such as extra blanks, commas, or different spellings.
a)
True
b)
False
False. It will only identify rows where the data in the selected cells are identical.
11. The automatic outline feature allows you to (select all that apply):
a)
Insert a sum subtotal for one or more columns of data.
b)
Automatically sort your data.
c)
Insert one or more subtotals – for example, sum, average, and variance – for the same column
of data with each subtotal being in a separate subtotal row.
d)
Nest your data with multiple subtotal levels.
e)
Set the filter criteria using a wide variety of different comparison operators.
Lesson 8
1.
You can add any Excel command to the Quick Access Toolbar including those that are not currently in
the Ribbon.
a)
True
b)
False
True.
2.
What items can Excel search for in a worksheet?
Excel can search for every occurrence of specific text, a value, function name, or cell reference.
3.
Give an example of when you would use Replace rather than Replace All in a worksheet.
You could use Replace if you have a report where you want to replace the word Expense with Cost in
some instances but not every instance. You could use Replace All to replace every occurrence of a
product name with a new product name without needing to review each occurrence.
4.
5.
A hyperlink in a workbook can be used to (select all that apply):
a)
Create a new workbook.
b)
Open a different workbook that is stored on your computer.
c)
Launch an Internet web page.
d)
Create an email addressed to one of your co-workers.
e)
Jump to another cell in the same worksheet.
What can you use comments for in a worksheet?
Use comments as notes to yourself or others regarding the data in this cell such as reminders or details
of formulas.
6.
Excel is capable of importing data stored in the following formats (select all that apply):
a)
Extensible Markup Language (XML).
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
9
Answer Key
7
8
Review Questions
b)
Plain text.
c)
Comma Separated Values (CSV).
d)
Microsoft SQL Server.
e)
Open Document format.
Excel is capable of exporting data using the following formats (select all that apply):
a)
Extensible Markup Language (XML).
b)
Plain text.
c)
Comma Separated Values (CSV).
d)
Microsoft SQL Server.
e)
Open Document format.
You can access files that are stored in the Public folder in anyone’s SkyDrive – even those that belong
to people that you do not know.
a)
True
b)
False
True. The files stored in the Public folder in your SkyDrive account are open to anyone with a Microsoft
account.
9
A macro is:
a)
Only available after you have enabled it using the Excel Add-In tool.
b)
Somewhat intimidating because of the complex code you must enter accurately.
c)
Used to automate a series of steps which is useful for repetitive tasks.
d)
A type of fish.
10 A workbook containing a macro must be saved as a macro-enabled workbook.
a)
True
b)
False
True. If you try to save it as a regular workbook, Excel will delete the macro. This feature is designed to
enhance the security of workbooks.
10
3253 © CCI Learning Solutions Inc.