Excel Basics
Opening a Blank Excel Sheet
1. Look for the Excel icon on the computer screen (it looks like a green X)
2. If you can’t find it, click Start, then Programs, then Microsoft Office, then Excel
Using Excel: Basic Arithmetic
Any computation in Excel must start with an equal sign. The following symbols are used
in Excel:
symbol
+
*
/
^
SQRT
()
meaning
Add
Subtract
Multiply
Divide
Exponent
Square root
Parentheses
Example
=3+8
=4-9
=7*3
=24/50
=2^3
=SQRT(9)
=(9+1)/2
output
11
-5
21
0.48
8
3
5
Each rectangle on the spreadsheet is called a cell. Each cell has an address, which is a
letter (which indicates the column) followed by a number (which indicates the row). For
example, cell B17 means the cell in column B, row 17. A group of cells is called an
array.
When doing arithmetic, you can refer to the number in a particular cell. For example:
1
2
3
4
5
A
First test
Second test
Average
B
78
67
=(B1+B2)/2
C
D
Using Excel: Basic Statistical Commands
The following commands are used in Excel:
COUNT – gives the number of numerical observations in an array
SUM – gives the sum (the total) of the observations in an array
MIN – gives the minimum number of an array
QUARTILE – gives the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd quartile of an array
MEDIAN – gives the median of an array
MAX – gives the maximum number of an array
AVERAGE – gives the mean of an array
STDEV – gives the standard deviation of an array
VAR - gives the variance of an array
FREQUENCY – counts how many observations are less or equal to a certain number
Anytime you enter a command in Excel, type an equal sign ( = ) first. This tells Excel you
are entering a command.
Example A:
1. Always label your data. In cell A1, type “Raw Data”. Then type the following numbers
in cells A2 through A11:
A
1 Raw data
2
34
3
42
4
51
5
17
6
52
7
46
8
52
9
53
10
60
11
25
This list of numbers is called an array. (When referring to this list in Excel, type A2:A11,
which means cell A2 through cell A11. The colon means “through”)
2. Next we will find the 5-number summary, mean, and standard deviation. Next to each
computation, type an appropriate label:

In a blank cell, type =SUM(A2:A11). This will find the total of all the numbers in
cells A2 through A11.

In a blank cell, type =COUNT(A2:A11). This will give the number of numerical
observations in the array.

In a blank cell, type =MIN(A2:A11). This will compute the minimum number in
the cells A2 through A11.

In another blank cell, type =QUARTILE(A2:A11,1). This will compute the first
quartile.

In another blank cell, type =MEDIAN(A2:A11). This will compute the median.

In another blank cell, type =QUARTILE(A2:A11,3). This will compute the third
quartile.

In another blank cell, type =MAX(A2:A11). This will compute the maximum.

In another blank cell, type =AVERAGE(A2:A11). This will compute the mean.

In another blank cell, type =STDEV(A2:A11). This will compute the standard
deviation.
When you are finished, the spreadsheet should look something like this:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
A
Raw
data
34
42
51
17
52
46
52
53
60
25
B
C
D
432
10
17
36
48.5
52
60
43.2
13.7663
sum
count
min
Q1
median
Q3
max
mean
sd
This last column is
just for labels,
which aid the
reader.
Example B: Suppose you want to know how many observations are 34 or less
1. In a blank cell, type =FREQUENCY(A2:A11,34)
The answer is 3 (because the numbers 17, 25, and 34 are less than or equal to 34)
Example C: Suppose you want to know how many numbers are between 50 and 60
(including 60 but not 50) (This is useful for making frequency distributions)
Use the FREQUENCY command twice. First find how many numbers are less than or
equal to 60, then find how many numbers are less than or equal to 50, then subtract.
1. In a blank cell, type =FREQUENCY(A2:A11,60). The answer should be 10.
2. In another blank cell, type =FREQUENCY(A2:A11,50). The answer should be 5.
3. Subtract the two numbers: 10 - 5 = 5
Using Excel: The Function Wizard
The top of the Excel sheet has many useful buttons (this is called the toolbar) Look for
the button that shows
fx
This activates the Function Wizard, which lists every command available in Excel. This
is good to use when you forget the exact syntax of a particular command. If you can’t
find the button, you can select Insert, then function from the menu.
Example A: Use the function wizard to find the 3rd quartile of the data in cells A2:A11.
1. Click the function wizard button: fx
2. On the window that pops up, select the statistical category. Then select
QUARTILE.
3. A new window pops up, and fill in the blanks:
Array: A2:A11
Quart: 3
Using Excel: Sorting
Another button on the toolbar looks like this:
A |
Z |
This sorts the data from least to greatest. If you can’t find the button, go to Data, then
Sort on the menu.
Example A: Sort the following raw data from least to greatest.
A
1 Raw data
2
34
3
42
4
51
5
17
6
52
7
46
8
52
9
53
10
60
11
25
1. Use your mouse to select the data, including the column heading
2. Click the “Sort” button.
Now the spreadsheet will look like this:
A
1 Raw data
2
17
3
25
4
34
5
42
6
46
7
51
8
52
9
52
10
53
11
60
If you can’t find the “sort” button, go to the menu “data” then “sort”.
Normal Distribution (z-score) Problems on Excel
There are two useful commands: NORMDIST (short for Normal Distribution), and
NORMINV (Short for Normal Inverse).
NORMDIST gives the percentage (as a decimal) of individuals (assuming a normal
distribution) whose measurements are less than or equal to a particular value.
Example A: The heights of women is approximately normal with mean = 64.5 inches
and standard deviation = 2.5 inches. What proportion of women are taller than 68 inches?
Solution
1. Select a blank cell. Click the Function Wizard (fx), then select NORMDIST from
the Statistics category.
2. A window pops up, and fill in the blanks:
x: 68 (the measurement you are interested in)
Mean: 64.5
Standard_Dev: 2.5
Cumulative: TRUE (this tells the computer that you want the percentage
of individuals that measure 64.5 OR LESS)
3. Click OK
4. The answer gives the percentage of women whose height is less than or equal to
68: 0.9192
5. In another cell, subtract from 1 to get the percentage of women taller than 68:
0.0808
Answer: 8.08%
NORMINV gives the measurement below which a certain percentage lies.
Example B: The heights of women is approximately normal with mean = 64.5 inches
andstandard deviation = 2.5 inches. The shortest 15% of the women are shorter than what
height?
Solution
1. Select NORMINV in the function wizard
2. A window pops up, and fill in the blanks:
Probability: 0.15 (this is the percentage)
Mean: 64.5
Standard_Dev: 2.5
3. Click OK
4. Answer: 61.9