Spreadsheets

The purpose of a spreadsheet is to make models so we can test things. We

can ask What if questions or test our hypotheses by manipulating the
input values and observing the output.
A spreadsheet consists of a large table. Each cell contains values
A row is a horizontal line and is represented by numbers
A column is a vertical line and is represented by letters.

Formulae
To get in to formula view press CTRL+`
A formula is a simple calculation in a spreadsheet. All formulaes begin
with = and consist of cell references and make use of (), +,-,*, /.
Formulae in Excel are automatically recalculated every time the values
are changed.

B4
input

C4
input

Output
after
equation

Column
Letter

Row Number

Double click
between the
columns to
resize

Click here to
highlight all
cells

When you save the file

you need to change it
to an excel file not a
CSV

When you go to
save the file click
the drop down and
select Excel
workbook

Functions
Functions are used to perform complex calculations which refer to RANGES of
cells.
All functions have the same form:
=FunctionName(RANGE)
Some functions may contain core attributes. For example:
=ROUND(M6,2)
To use most functions you must understand RANGES. A range is simply the
START and END cell reference of a group of cells. E.G. M6:M12 refers to all the
cells starting at M6 and ending at M12.

This range is I6:M6

Functions- VLOOKUP

VLOOKUP is used to find a piece of data in a table and will return another piece
of related data from
a column you specify.

In the example above, we know the form group, and we have a table of tutors
stored separately:

So we can LOOKUP the tutor by finding the form in this

table and looking one column to the right.

VLOOKUP takes the form:

=VLOOKUP (What are you trying to find?, Where are you
going to find it?, How many columns across is the data
you want back?, False)

Max and Min

Max and Min will find the largest/ highest or smallest/lowest number in a given
range.

MAX is in the form:

=MAX(RANGE)
Min is in the form:
=MIN(RANGE)

SUMIF
Total mark

SUMIF will add up all the numbers given in a range IF they match a given criteria.
SUMIF is in the form:
=SUMIF( Range of cells to look in, criteria that must be matched)
It can also be written in the form:
=SUMIF( Range of cells to look in, what you are looking for, range to add
numbers up in)
This version will allow you to look for a value in one column and then jump
across to another column and add up there values instead.
Count IF
Count If will keep a tally of how many times a given criteria appears in a list.

In this example, we want to count how many times the text ABS appears in the
range I6:M6
Note, all text must always go in quotes

Nested Functions (using Round and Average in this example)

A nested function is simply where one function is used inside another. In this
example we calculate the average and then the answer to this calculation is
rounded- because it is inside a ROUND function.
ROUND simply rounds a number to a certain number of decimal places and takes
the form:
=ROUND(Number, Amount of decimal places)
Average does exactly what it says- finds the average of a range of numbers.

IF

The IF function allows TWO different outcomes, based on a rule. An IF function

takes the form:
=IF(RULE, what to do/ display if true, what to do/ display if false)
In the example above, the value P6 (their total score) must be higher or the
same as the value in B3 (the score needed for a certificate). IF the value in P6 IS
higher or the same, then the wordYES will appear in the cell. IF the value in P6
is NOT higher or the same, then the word NO will appear in the cell.
It is often a help to remember that you write an IF statement exactly as you
would say it in words:
IF their test score is higher or the same as the pass mark, THEN say YES,
OTHERWISE say NO
Note the key words- IF, THEN , OTHERWISE.
Nested IF

Sometimes we need to test more than one rule! The giveaway in the question is
the word AND
The question here was A student is awarded a prize IF they had a previous
certificate AND they require a certificate
There are clearly two things to check here:
1. Do they require a certificate?
2. Did they have a previous certificate?
The way to answer these questions is to break it down ( like above) in to question
to be answered and then write an IF for each one. So
1. Do they require a certificate =IF(S6= YES, , )
2. Did they have a previous certificate = IF(H6= YES, ,)

Then we need to put them together:

=IF(S6= YES, IF(H6= YES, , ), )
This means IF S6 YES then check if H6 is YES. What do we do if S6= NO (they
do NOT require a certificate) We say NO because they will not get a prize. So
we have this:
=IF(S6= YES, IF H6= YES, , ), NO)
Now all that is left to do is fill in the remaining bits. What we do IF they had a
previous certificate AND require a Certificate? They get a prize, so we say YES
here:
=IF(S6= YES, IF(H6= YES, YES, ), NO)
Finally we fill in what happens if they DO require a certificate but did NOT get a
previous one:
=IF(S6= YES, IF(H6= YES, YES, NO ), NO)
In words this is: IF they require a certificate, THEN IF they had a previous
certificate THEN yes they get a certificate, OTHERWISE no they dont. If they do
NOT require a certificate then NO they do not get a prize