Excel Lesson 4

 

Session 4: More complicated arithmetic expressions using formulas; copying, cutting, and pasting; column heading; inserting/deleting rows/column; resizing columns.

 

Using cell names to do arithmetic:

 

******this was part of lesson 3**********

 

Start Excel.

 

Open up “names4.xls”.  Use cell names to add up the numbers in A1, A2, and A3.  Your sum should be in A4.

 

Change the number 3 in A3 to 5 and hit ENTER.  Do you still have the correct sum?

 

Now, add up the numbers in the second column, using cell names, putting the sum in B4.

 

Now, add up the numbers in the third column, using cell names, putting the sum in C4.

 

Now, we will do something a little different.  Add up the numbers in the first ROW- A1, B1, and C1’s numbers- and put the sum in D1.

 

Do the same thing for the second and third rows.

 

Using Functions:

 

Now, we’re going to learn another way to write what you just did.  This can sometime be shorter to write.  Go back to A4, where you have the sum of the cells A1, A2, and A3.  Replace what you have with =sum(a1..a3) and hit ENTER.  Do you still have the correct sum?

 

Click in the cell and take a look at what you wrote.  =sum is a function for finding the sum.  You can use it if the numbers you want to add up are NEXT TO EACH OTHER, either down or across.  The two numbers you put in are the first and last of the list of numbers you want to add.

 

Rewrite what is in B4.  Try using =sum.  Here is a shortcut:  After the type the “(“, click in B1, hold the mouse button down, and go all the way to B3 before you let the mouse button up.  Excel will write in the cell names for you as you do this.

 

Rewrite what is in C4 using =sum.

 

*****end of old part of lesson 3*********

 

Sums of sums- optional

You can use =sum or add cell names with plus signs to do this.  Add up the 4th row (the sums).  In E4, put the expression to find the sum of A4, B4, C4, and D4.  Type the answer you get in the white box at the bottom of the screen.

 

Now, delete the expression you typed in and type a new one in the same location.  This should be the sum of  D1, D2, D3, D4. 

 

Were the two sums the same?

 

Save the file, and exit from Excel.