task 12

Lesson 2: Entering Excel Formulas and Formatting Data

Lesson 1 familiarized you with the Excel 2007 window, taught you how to move around the window, and how to enter data. A major strength of Excel is that you can perform mathematical calculations and format your data. In this lesson, you learn how to perform basic mathematical calculations and how to format text and numerical data. To start this lesson, open Excel.

Set the Enter Key Direction

In Microsoft Excel, you can specify the direction the cursor moves when you press the Enter key. In the exercises that follow, the cursor must move down one cell when you press Enter. You can use the Direction box in the Excel Options pane to set the cursor to move up, down, left, right, or not at all. Perform the steps that follow to set the cursor to move down when you press the Enter key.

1.     Click the Microsoft Office button. A menu appears.

2.     Click Excel Options in the lower-right corner. The Excel Options pane appears.

3.     Click Advanced.

4.     If the check box next to After Pressing Enter Move Selection is not checked, click the box to check it.

5.     If Down does not appear in the Direction box, click the down arrow next to the Direction box and then click Down.

6.     Click OK. Excel sets the Enter direction to down.

Perform Mathematical Calculations

In Microsoft Excel, you can enter numbers and mathematical formulas into cells. Whether you enter a number or a formula, you can reference the cell when you perform mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. When entering a mathematical formula, precede the formula with an equal sign. Use the following to indicate the type of calculation you wish to perform:

+ Addition

- Subtraction

* Multiplication

/ Division

^ Exponential

In the following exercises, you practice some of the methods you can use to move around a worksheet and you learn how to perform mathematical calculations. Refer to Lesson 1 to learn more about moving around a worksheet.

EXERCISE 1

Addition

1.     Type Add in cell A1.

2.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

3.     Type 1 in cell A2.

4.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

5.     Type 1 in cell A3.

6.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

7.     Type =A2+A3 in cell A4.

8.     Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel adds cell A1 to cell A2 and displays the result in cell A4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Note: Clicking the check mark on the Formula bar is similar to pressing Enter. Excel records your entry but does not move to the next cell.

Subtraction

1.     Press F5. The Go To dialog box appears.

2.     Type B1 in the Reference field.

3.     Press Enter. Excel moves to cell B1.

4.     Type Subtract.

5.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

6.     Type 6 in cell B2.

7.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

8.     Type 3 in cell B3.

9.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

10.   Type =B2-B3 in cell B4.

11.   Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel subtracts cell B3 from cell B2 and the result displays in cell B4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Multiplication

1.     Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "g" (Ctrl+g). The Go To dialog box appears.

2.     Type C1 in the Reference field.

3.     Press Enter. Excel moves to cell C1

4.     Type Multiply.

5.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

6.     Type 2 in cell C2.

7.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

8.     Type 3 in cell C3.

9.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

10.   Type =C2*C3 in cell C4.

11.   Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel multiplies C1 by cell C2 and displays the result in cell C3. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Division

1.     Press F5.

2.     Type D1 in the Reference field.

3.     Press Enter. Excel moves to cell D1.

4.     Type Divide.

5.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

6.     Type 6 in cell D2.

7.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

8.     Type 3 in cell D3.

9.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

10.   Type =D2/D3 in cell D4.

11.   Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel divides cell D2 by cell D3 and displays the result in cell D4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

When creating formulas, you can reference cells and include numbers. All of the following formulas are valid:

=A2/B2

=A1+12-B3

=A2*B2+12

=24+53

AutoSum

You can use the AutoSum button on the Home tab to automatically add a column or row of numbers. When you press the AutoSum button , Excel selects the numbers it thinks you want to add. If you then click the check mark on the Formula bar or press the Enter key, Excel adds the numbers. If Excel's guess as to which numbers you want to add is wrong, you can select the cells you want.

EXERCISE 2

AutoSum

The following illustrates AutoSum:

1.     Go to cell F1.

2.     Type 3.

3.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

4.     Type 3.

5.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

6.     Type 3.

7.     Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell to cell F4.

8.     Choose the Home tab.

9.     Click the AutoSum button in the Editing group. Excel selects cells F1 through F3 and enters a formula in cell F4.

10.   Press Enter. Excel adds cells F1 through F3 and displays the result in cell F4.

Perform Automatic Calculations

By default, Microsoft Excel recalculates the worksheet as you change cell entries. This makes it easy for you to correct mistakes and analyze a variety of scenarios.

EXERCISE 3

Automatic Calculation

Make the changes described below and note how Microsoft Excel automatically recalculates.

1.     Move to cell A2.

2.     Type 2.

3.     Press the right arrow key. Excel changes the result in cell A4. Excel adds cell A2 to cell A3 and the new result appears in cell A4.

4.     Move to cell B2.

5.     Type 8.

6.     Press the right arrow key. Excel subtracts cell B3 from cell B3 and the new result appears in cell B4.

7.     Move to cell C2.

8.     Type 4.

9.     Press the right arrow key. Excel multiplies cell C2 by cell C3 and the new result appears in cell C4.

10.   Move to cell D2.

11.   Type 12.

12.   Press the Enter key. Excel divides cell D2 by cell D3 and the new result appears in cell D4.

Align Cell Entries

When you type text into a cell, by default your entry aligns with the left side of the cell. When you type numbers into a cell, by default your entry aligns with the right side of the cell. You can change the cell alignment. You can center, left-align, or right-align any cell entry. Look at cells A1 to D1. Note that they are aligned with the left side of the cell.

EXERCISE 4

Center

To center cells A1 to D1:

1.     Select cells A1 to D1.

2.     Choose the Home tab.

3.     Click the Center button in the Alignment group. Excel centers each cell's content.

Left-Align

To left-align cells A1 to D1:

1.     Select cells A1 to D1.

2.     Choose the Home tab.

3.     Click the Align Text Left button in the Alignment group. Excel left-aligns each cell's content.

Right-Align

To right-align cells A1 to D1:

1.     Select cells A1 to D1. Click in cell A1.

2.     Choose the Home tab.

3.     Click the Align Text Right button. Excel right-aligns the cell's content.

4.     Click anywhere on your worksheet to clear the highlighting.

Note: You can also change the alignment of cells with numbers in them by using the alignment buttons.

Perform Advanced Mathematical Calculations

When you perform mathematical calculations in Excel, be careful of precedence. Calculations are performed from left to right, with multiplication and division performed before addition and subtraction.

EXERCISE 5

Advanced Calculations

1.     Move to cell A7.

2.     Type =3+3+12/2*4.

3.     Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel divides 12 by 2, multiplies the answer by 4, adds 3, and then adds another 3. The answer, 30, displays in cell A7.

To change the order of calculation, use parentheses. Microsoft Excel calculates the information in parentheses first.

1.     Double-click in cell A7.

2.     Edit the cell to read =(3+3+12)/2*4.

3.     Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel adds 3 plus 3 plus 12, divides the answer by 2, and then multiplies the result by 4. The answer, 36, displays in cell A7.

Copy, Cut, Paste, and Cell Addressing

In Excel, you can copy data from one area of a worksheet and place the data you copied anywhere in the same or another worksheet. In other words, after you type information into a worksheet, if you want to place the same information somewhere else, you do not have to retype the information. You simple copy it and then paste it in the new location.

You can use Excel's Cut feature to remove information from a worksheet. Then you can use the Paste feature to place the information you cut anywhere in the same or another worksheet. In other words, you can move information from one place in a worksheet to another place in the same or different worksheet by using the Cut and Paste features.

Microsoft Excel records cell addresses in formulas in three different ways, called absolute, relative, and mixed. The way a formula is recorded is important when you copy it. With relative cell addressing, when you copy a formula from one area of the worksheet to another, Excel records the position of the cell relative to the cell that originally contained the formula. With absolute cell addressing, when you copy a formula from one area of the worksheet to another, Excel references the same cells, no matter where you copy the formula. You can use mixed cell addressing to keep the row constant while the column changes, or vice versa. The following exercises demonstrate.

EXERCISE 6

Copy, Cut, Paste, and Cell Addressing

1.     Move to cell A9.

2.     Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

3.     Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

4.     Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

5.     Move to cell B9.

6.     Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

7.     Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

8.     Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

In addition to typing a formula as you did in Lesson 1, you can also enter formulas by using Point mode. When you are in Point mode, you can enter a formula either by clicking on a cell or by using the arrow keys.

1.     Move to cell A12.

2.     Type =.

3.     Use the up arrow key to move to cell A9.

4.     Type +.

5.     Use the up arrow key to move to cell A10.

6.     Type +.

7.     Use the up arrow key to move to cell A11.

8.     Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Look at the Formula bar. Note that the formula you entered is displayed there.

Copy with the Ribbon                                                                                                                                                                To copy the formula you just entered, follow these steps:

1.     You should be in cell A12.

2.     Choose the Home tab.

3.     Click the Copy button in the Clipboard group. Excel copies the formula in cell A12.

4.     Press the right arrow key once to move to cell B12.

5.     Click the Paste button in the Clipboard group. Excel pastes the formula in cell A12 into cell B12.

6.     Press the Esc key to exit the Copy mode.

Compare the formula in cell A12 with the formula in cell B12 (while in the respective cell, look at the Formula bar). The formulas are the same except that the formula in cell A12 sums the entries in column A and the formula in cell B12 sums the entries in column B. The formula was copied in a relative fashion.

Before proceeding with the next part of the exercise, you must copy the information in cells A7 to B9 to cells C7 to D9. This time you will copy by using the Mini toolbar.

Copy with the Mini Toolbar

1.     Select cells A9 to B11. Move to cell A9. Press the Shift key. While holding down the Shift key, press the down arrow key twice. Press the right arrow key once. Excel highlights A9 to B11.

2.     Right-click. A context menu and a Mini toolbar appear.

3.     Click Copy, which is located on the context menu. Excel copies the information in cells A9 to B11.

4.     Move to cell C9.

5.     Right-click. A context menu appears.

6.     Click Paste. Excel copies the contents of cells A9 to B11 to cells C9 to C11.

7.     Press Esc to exit Copy mode.

Absolute Cell Addressing

You make a cell address an absolute cell address by placing a dollar sign in front of the row and column identifiers. You can do this automatically by using the F4 key. To illustrate:

1.     Move to cell C12.

2.     Type =.

3.     Click cell C9.

4.     Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 9.

5.     Type +.

6.     Click cell C10.

7.     Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 10.

8.     Type +.

9.     Click cell C11.

10.   Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 11.

11.   Click the check mark on the formula bar. Excel records the formula in cell C12.