Spreadsheet Basics Background material for first Excel lab

Spreadsheet Layout Worksheet Rows (1 -16, 000+) Columns (A. . Z, AA. . IV) B 5 Cell References: B 5, C 3, etc. Cell Range: : Up. Left Low. Right Cells contain one data item A number A letter sequence A formula Range A 4: A 12 Range C 5: D 11

Flexibility == Power Use formulas to calculate one cells’ value based on other cells’ values Syntax of Excel language = c 3 + b 3 + a 15 Math: + - * / Order of precedence ( ) */ +- Functions Perform complex equations, simply Can operate on a range of cells Example Relative and Absolute Cell References =sum(a 3: c 9)

Relative vs Absolute References Relative Reference by default Copy and “Fill” will change references based on new position Absolute Reference Column and Row absolute: $F$2 Reference do not transform when copy or fill is applied Partial ($A 4 or A$4) Use absolute for all constant values in formulas Numbers (constants) mean nothing Constants are frequently not constant! Called problem parameters Flexibility requires it (and so do I) ? ? = a 3 * 0. 556 + 32

Format Cell formatting Font, color, shading, etc Numeric: Currency, percent, # of decimals BE CONSISTENT (and logical) Charts Graphics should simplify meaning Appropriate choice of chart type Label appropriate values

Lab Lab: Work through the example pgs 376 -393 Changes: “Swanson’s Hawk” to ”yourlastname ‘s Hawk” Remove all constant values from formulas Format all values appropriately Due: Friday, February 20 th by 5 p. m. Submit to class IN box as yourlastname excel lab. xls Note: Length (inches) values on pages 391 -392 are incorrect

Homework Work through the discount table example on p. 396 Changes: add a descriptive title that includes your name to the top of the spreadsheet Name the file yourlastname discount hw. xls Work through the loan table example on p. 399 Changes Make the loan rate a problem parameter instead of a constant Experiment with different loan rates to see the ease of calculation Name the file yourlastname loan hw. xls Both files due in the IN folder by midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 24