Components of a Spreadsheet

In order to follow along with this seminar, please click here to start up the spreadsheet shown below. This file will be used throughout the seminar notes.

We will begin with some definitions:

• spreadsheet - a table in which you can enter and manipulate data

• cell - a table entry. A cell can contain:
  • labels e.g. Company
  • numbers e.g. 32.4
  • functions e.g. SUM(B5:B8)
  • formulas e.g. = 2 * 2
    OR e.g. = 2 * SUM(B5:B8)

• row - cells aligned horizontally. Rows are numbered 1,2,3,...

• column - cells aligned vertically. Columns are labeled A,B,C,...

• range - the specification for a series of cells.
  • A colon ":" separates the start and end cell references.
  • e.g. A1:A9 - part of a column
  • e.g. A1:K1 - part of a row
  • e.g. B4:D8 - a rectangle of cells
  • Also, you can assign a RangeName to a group of cells. This makes it much easier to reference cell(s); you can refer to them by the kind of value contained. e.g. Instead of referencing cell P32 you could reference the cell with the name Interest (or whatever you had named that cell).
    More on naming ranges a bit later.

• function - an operation applied to a range of cells, always beginning with an "=" sign. e.g. =SUM(A1:A5)

• formula - an algebraic expression
  • must begin with an equal sign "="
  • can contain any combination of:
    • numbers
    • operators ( + - * / )
    • cell references
    • ranges
    • functions
  • e.g. = (2 + 2) * 10
  • e.g. = 4 * A3
  • e.g. = 12 + A5 + SUM(B1:B4)

Exercise: Identify the correct answer for each of the following:

• Cell C3 is : a.) label, b.) a number, c.) a formula, or d.) a function

• Cell D6 is : a.) label, b.) a number, c.) a formula, or d.) a function

• Cell B11 is : a.) label, b.) a number, c.) a formula, or d.) a function

• The range of cells from A5 to A8 is specified by:
  a.) A5 to A8, b.) A5-A8, c.) A5:A8, or d.) A5->A8

• You begin a formula with:
  a.) :, b.) ->, c.) =, or d.) @