Spreadsheets The Basic Principals

Why use spreadsheets? Spreadsheets allow the user to do calculations. Spreadsheets allow the user to enter complex formulae to allow calculations to be performed. Spreadsheets allow the user to create graphs from numerical data. IF ONE OF THE NUMBERS CHANGES THEN THE COMPUTER WILL RECALCULATE THE ANSWER.

Types of Formulae - Adding If you want to add up a list of numbers there are 2 ways of doing this. AB AB =B1+B2+B3+B4 =SUM(B1:B4) This tells the computer to add everything between B1 and B4

Types of Formula - Multiplying Sometimes you will need to use a formulae to calculate the total cost of something. This could be 400 apples at 20p each. ABCDE 1Apples40020p =B1*C1

Formulae – Special Types AVERAGEMAX/MIN This calculates the average of a listThis calculates the biggest and smallest in a list. A =AVERAGE(A1:A5) AB MAX =max(B1:B3) 5MIN =min(B1:B3)

CELL ATTRIBUTES The cell in a spreadsheet can contain text or number. You can define what you want the spreadsheet to display. ABCD 1TuckShop26 Oct 2Juice2020p400p 3Crisps1025p250p 4Mars5050p2500p 5£31.50 TEXTNUMBERDATECURRENCY

Relative or Absolute When you use a formulae to do a series of calculations then it is likely it will be the same throughout. e.g. ABCDEF 1TuckShopSales 2ItemNo.CostTotal 3 Apples205=B3*C3 4 Crisps2510=B4*C4 5 Cans3020=B5*C5 6 Notice as you go down the spreadsheet the formula changes. This is RELATIVE formulae – this means it changes each time.

Absolute Formula When you need a formula to take a value from the SAME reference throughout then you use ABSOLUTE. E.g. ABCDE 1ItemCostCost + VAT VAT 2Paint£5.00 =B2*$E$ Paste£2.50 =B3*$E$2 4Brush£1.75 =B4*$E$2 5 The $ sign tells the computer to take the same formula and DO NOT MOVE DOWN – this is called ABSOLUTE formulae