General Purpose Packages

Spreadsheets

What is a Spreadsheet?

A Spreadsheet is a computer program used mainly for recording mathematical data such as bank records, accounts, bills, scientific records etc.Spreadsheets carry out calculations based on the numbers and formula entered in them.The software that creates a spreadsheet is called a spreadsheet package.Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet package.

Spreadsheet Structure

A spreadsheet basically consists of an electronic table or grid, made up of cells.Each cell is named from the column and row which it occupies.

Column

RowCell

Cells, Columns and Rows

Cells are arranged in rows and columns.The rows are referenced by numbers and the columns by letters.

Values, Text, and Formulae.

A cell can contain one of three types of information+A value (number)+Text+or a formula

Cells containing formulae allow us to perform calculations using data stored in other cells.

Formulas

There are four basic calculations that can be performed in spreadsheets. These are:+Addition (+)+Subtraction (-)+Multiplication (*)+Division (/)

Formulae always start with the equals sign (=) to show that the content in the cell is equal to the formula it calculates

Formulas

Simple FormulasAn example of a simple formula:=A3+B9

Complex FormulasAn example of a Complex formula:=((A9*100)-(B9*50)+(H12*H12))/G7

Basically Complex means harder

FormattingAs with word processing you can change the way your spreadsheet looks. This is called altering the cell format

You can alter:

+The Column width

+The Row height

+The Cell Alignment (left, right or centred)

Left Aligned Cell

Right Aligned Cell

Centre Aligned Cell

Cell AttributesWhen you set up the attributes you are defining the format of the properties in that cell

Other FeaturesCell Protection+ Allows you to ‘lock’ cells so they can not be

changed.Insert Row & Column+ Allows you to add a new row or column.+ If you are inserting them between two columns or

rows then it will move the information in them over to the next row

Replication+ Simply means copying+ Good for copying formulas from one cell to another+ An example of this is the ‘fill down’ command

Calculation

Automatic Calculation+If you change the value in a cell any

other cells that affect that value will be changed automatically

Manual Calculation+Automatic Calculation can be turned

off so that other cells can only be updated when you tell it to.

Charting

Values and figures can be uninteresting and sometimes difficult to see trends.Most spreadsheet packages allow the user to create charts based on these figures.These can make presentations.interesting and colourful

Fully Labelled Charting

Functions

Predefined formulas that perform calculations, e.g.+ SUM, AVERAGE, MAXIMUM, MINIMUM & IF

These calculate from a range of cells using the : symbol.

FunctionsThe IF function is used to make a decision depending on the values given.

For example this formula is in cell A10:

=IF(D5>50, ‘You Win’,’You Lose’)

Meaning:

+ If the value of cell D5 is greater than 50, then place ‘You Win’ in A10, otherwise place ‘You Loose’ in A10

ReferencingA relative reference will change when the formula it is in is replicated to other cells.An absolute reference will not change when a formula is replicated.Absolute cell references are very useful for referring to specific cells in a spreadsheetThe $ symbol is used to ‘keep’ the formula relating to a particular cell.=C5*$B$2=C6*$B$2…