Similarly, the function =MAX(B2:E2) would find the biggest value among cells B2, C2, D2, and E2. The function =AVERAGE(C3:C7) would calculate the average of all the values in cells C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7. The cells can either be entered individually and separated by commas, as shown earlier, or they can be entered as a range using a colon. Many functions such as AVERAGE, MEDIAN, MAX, and MIN, can act on a range of cells. The spreadsheet will also display an example of how the function is used. As soon as you begin typing the function name, a drop-down list of possible functions will appear, so it's not necessary to remember all function names exactly. There are hundreds of other functions available as well, and these are entered using the function name followed by parentheses, like =AVERAGE(B2, B3, B5, B9) to find the average of the values in cells B2, B3, B5, and B9. The most common use for spreadsheets in math is to accomplish simple arithmetic using +, -, *, and / as the symbols for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division respectively. Entering "5+4=" into a cell will tell the spreadsheet to insert a text label that reads "5+4=", but entering "=5+4" will tell the spreadsheet to calculate the result and display the value 9 instead.
Examples of best spreadsheets plus#
Spreadsheets are like the quiz show, Jeopardy, in that formulas are always in the form of a question like, "what equals the balance plus 3% of the balance?" The "equals" comes before the calculation. Referring again to the example spreadsheet, note that the formula begins with an equal sign. Spreadsheets maintain a long history of your actions, and you can generally recover from any problem by repeatedly using "undo" (tap the curved back arrow, or press Ctrl/Command and z). Experienced professionals use the undo function all the time. Also, when working with a spreadsheet, the "undo" function is your friend. If navigation doesn't seem to be working as intended, it's reasonable to press and just try again. When not using the keyboard, those functions are available through menu icons or context-sensitive cursor locations. When using the keyboard to navigate, there are keyboard shortcuts that accompish functions like filling in cells or undoing mistakes. It is also possible to navigate using a mouse, trackpad, or trackpoint, in which case a range of cells can be selected by clicking at the starting location and dragging to the ending location. Holding the key while changing cells will select all of the cells between the starting location and the current location. Navigation within a spreadsheet can be accomplished using the cursor keys on the keyboard, and this is the safest and easiest way to work when using an unfamiliar computer in a classroom setting. Adding 3% to the balance of $106.09 would give a result of $109.27. The current value of the formula is also shown as a floating tooltip above the formula. The formula in cell B5 references the values in B4 (the prior balance) and in C2 (the interest rate), so both of those cells are given dashed borders and colored to match the references in the formula. Tapping a cell's formula allows it to be edited, and highlights any other cells that are referenced. The formula for the cell shows up near the top of the sheet, to the right of the fx mark. Cell B5 is currently selected, which is why the cell is highlighted. For example, cell B2 contains the starting balance of $100.00, and cell C2 contains the annual interest rate. Referring to the figure at the right, the sheet consists of a grid of "cells" that are uniquely identified by a row number and a column letter (like the game Battleship). The first thing to understand is how a spreadsheet is set up. You could do it by hand if you needed to, but it's much nicer (and less error-prone) to have the process automated. The spreadsheet can do that same set of simple calculations over and over for every month in the three-year span. That gets you the balance after one month. How much money will you have after three years? You would start with $0, then add $5, then add 1% of the result. Imagine every month you add $5 to a savings account, and every month the account earns 1% interest on the balance. The primary value in a spreadsheet is that it can do dozens or hundreds (or millions) of very similar calculations for you. Spreadsheets can be easy and powerful as long as you stick to a few simple concepts and don't get overwhelmed by details.
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