Excel at Excel

1. Excel at Excel Computer Literacy 2009

2. What is Excel? We use Excel for: • Organizing data • Making calculations • Making sense of data • Charting data • Sharing data in a known format • Presentations

3. The Basics (Formatting) • Columns, Rows, Cells • Identifying cells • Formatting cells and information in cells • Expanding cells • Inserting rows and columns • Format cells by: right click cell or “Format” • Much of the formatting is exactly like Word • The “Lifesaver” • EDIT UNDO or “back”

4. Some Basic Formatting Practice • Hit “Enter” to advance rows • Let’s number all the odd rows (up to 39) in column “A” • Start with a 1 in row 1, 3 in row 3, 5 in row 5, etc. • Bold all the odd numbers in column A • Let’s number all the even rows (up to 38) in column “B” • Italicize all the even numbers in column B • Hit “Tab” to advance columns • Let’s put letters in all the odd rows (up to 39) in column “C” • Start with an “a” in row 1 (column C), b in row 3, c in row 5, etc. • Right align “a” in column “C”, center “b” in column C, left align “c”, center “d”, right align “e”, etc.

5. Formatting continued… • Fill column C green all the way to cell C39 • Fill column D red all the way to cell D39 • Insert border around cell C1 and D1 (as dark as possible • Write “TOTAL” in C1 and “MINUS” in D1 • Bold both and center them

6. Equations (Formulas) - SUM 1. SUM: The SUM equation is written like this: =SUM(cell,cell,cell) This equation would add up three specific cells because the comma tells Excel to add individual cells that you ID 2. We can also find the SUM of a rangeof cells which is written like this: =SUM(cell:cell) The colon tells Excel to add up all the cells in between cells given which gives us the summation of a range

7. Equations (Formulas) - Average • Average- The average function is written like this: =AVERAGE(cell:cell) or =AVERAGE(cell,cell,cell,…) • The colon tells us that we are using a range of cells. Cell A1:A8 is the range of cells in column A rows 1-8. • The AVERAGE equation tells us to take the average of the contents in the cells • We can also find the average of multiple cells not in a range (using the comma)

8. More formulas • Not just adding… Division, subtraction, multiplication: • To divide using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell/cell) • To subtract using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell-cell) • To multiply using the SUM equation: =SUM(cell*cell) Let’s find some averages using the SUM equation

9. Insert a Function • Click a cell that you want to include a function into • From the menu bar: click “Insert” and select “Function” • A list of a bunch of equation possibilities will appear – select “SUM” • Read what it tells you about it and see if you can find the SUM of two cells from this screen

10. Other Important Equations • We have seen SUM and AVERAGE • Along with some specifics about each • Let’s look at: MAX, MIN, and MODE • MAX – finds the highest value in a range • MIN – finds the smallest value in a range • MODE – finds the most common value in a range

11. EQUATIONS • =MAX(cell:cell) • Or =MAX(cell,cell,cell,cell) • =MIN(cell:cell) • Or =MIN(cell,cell,cell) • =MODE(cell:cell) • Or =MODE(cell,cell)

12. Inserting a Chart Representing Data • Insert/Chart (or icon Chart Wizard) • Select the type of chart • Highlight ALL info you want represented (including titles) • Name your chart • Next and Finish… • Edit chart to include useful information (title, x/y axis - use help to find out how)