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Unit 5 – Spreadsheet

Transcript Video Lesson 2 – How to work with formulae?

Presenter: Hello students, Welcome back to another learning session on spreadsheet. Today

we are going to learn about how to work with formulae.

Slide Title: Lesson Contents

Presenter: In this lesson, you will learn about

• What a formula is

• Use of mathematical operators

• Understanding cell references

• Creating simple formulae

• There will also be a demonstration on how to create formulae.

You will also perform some quick tests followed by a recap.

Slide Title: “What is a formula?”

Presenter: Let’s start with what a formula is.

A formula is an expression which calculates the value of a cell. All formulae in Excel must

begin with an equal sign (=).

A3

Adds the value of cell A2 to the value of cell A1.

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Presenter: This is because the cell contains, or is equal to, the formulae and the value it

calculates. For example, cell A3 contains a formula which adds the value of cell A2 to the

value of cell A1.

Slide Title: Use of mathematical operators

Presenter: Excel uses standard operators for formulae, such as a plus sign for addition (+),

a minus sign for subtraction (-), an asterisk for multiplication (*) and a forward slash for

division (/).

Presenter: Before we start to create formulae, I would like to show to you a few of the

important keys on the keyboard. Those keys are the equal and plus key. The subtraction key,

the multiply key and the divide key.

Over on the right, there is the number keypad and you will find the division symbol, multiply

symbol, subtract symbol and addition symbol.

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Bear in mind that with the multiply symbol and the plus symbol on the main keyboard, you

need to use the shift key to get those characters.

Slide Title: Use of mathematical operators

Presenter: Observe the values in cells A1, in both worksheets. As you can see both are

different.

Slide Title: Use of mathematical operators

Presenter: In the 1st worksheet, the formula starts with the equal sign. Therefore, cell A1

shows 8 as the result.

The same formula is entered in the 2nd worksheet but this time without an equal sign.

Now, you can see that 6+2 appears as the result. Here no calculation has been done as there

the equal sign is missing at the start.

Slide Title: Understanding cell references

Presenter: Cell references in Excel are very important. They are used to identify the location

of a cell in a worksheet. Most of the time you will use cell references to create a formula.

By combining a mathematical operator with cell references, you can create a variety of simple

formulae in Excel.

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• With equal sign

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• Without equal sign

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Formulae can also include a combination of cell references and numbers, as in the following

examples.

Slide Title: Understanding cell references

Presenter: The formula in cell A3 adds the values of cells A1 and A2 by making cell

references.

Slide Title: Understanding cell references

Presenter: When you press Enter, the formula calculates and displays the answer in cell A3.

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Slide Title: Understanding cell references

Presenter: If the values in the referenced cells change, the formula automatically recalculates.

Like in this example, if the value in cell A1 changes to 6. Then the value in cell A3 is

automatically updated to 8.

Slide Title: Creating simple formulae

Presenter: You can create simple formulae in Excel. In our first example, we are going to

use addition. Here we have to calculate the total sales made during 5 days. Sales values in

cells B4, B5, B6, B7 and B8 are added together. The result is then displayed in cell B9. The

formula used here is: =B4+B5+B6+B7+B8

Slide Title: Creating simple formulae

Presenter: Let us have a look at another example, this time using subtraction. In this example,

we have to calculate the remaining balance. The expenditure value which is in cell E5 is

subtracted from the income value in cell E4. The result appears in cell E6. The formula used

here to calculate the Sales Price is =E4-E5

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Slide Title: Creating simple formulae

Presenter: In our next example we will use multiplication. To calculate the total cost of 10

tables, the quantity of tables in cell H4 is multiplied with price per table in cell H5. The result

appears in cell H6. The formula used here to calculate the total cost is =H4*H5.

Slide Title: Creating simple formulae

Presenter: For our last example we will use division to calculate the amount receives by each

winner for a lottery. This is done by dividing the prize money in cell K4 by the number of

winners in cell K5. The result appears in cell K6. The formula used here is =K4/K5

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Presenter: Dear students, now you are going to see a demonstration on how to create simple

formulae using cell references.

Presenter: Our first example is an addition. Here we have sales incurred during 5 days, and

we are going to calculate the total.

So, we click in cell B9, press the equal key to begin the calculation, then click on the first item,

which is in cell B4, press the plus key, click on the second item in cell B5, press the plus key

again, click in cell B6, press the plus key, click in cell B7, press the plus key and click on the

last value in cell B8. Then click on the little tick there and we get the result 1270.

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Now, the nice thing about excel is automatic calculation. If we change the value in cell B4 to

300, then you will see the result automatically updates to 1370.

Ok, so moving along to subtraction, again click on the cell where the result needs to go. This

time we have a calculation that takes expenditure from income. So, we select equal from the

keyboard. Click on income, minus on the keyboard, click on the expenditure value. This time

just press the enter key and you can see the result there. Let us move back to cell E6.

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Click Here

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Remember you can always check in the formula bar to see the actual calculation behind the

result.

So, moving along to the multiplication example. To begin, press the equal key, click on the

quantity in this case. Press the multiply key on the keyboard. Click on the price per table and

press the enter key. Now we get 6000 as the result.

Come on to the final example and this is a division calculation. So, again click on the cell

where we want the result to appear in. Press equal on the keyboard, click on the prize money

value in this case, divide on the keyboard, click on the number of winners in this case 10. Press

the enter key. We see that each person will be receiving RS1000.

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Presenter: Now, let us do a quick test to evaluate what you have learnt today.

Slide Title: Quick test

Slide Title: Instructions for quick test.

Presenter: Read and answer the following questions. You will have about 3 seconds to give

your answer.

Presenter:

Question 1: A _____________ is an expression which calculates the value of a cell.

A. number

B. letter

C. formula

The answer is C, that is formula.

A formula is an expression which calculates the value of a cell.

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Presenter:

Question 2: All formulae in Excel must begin with quotation marks (“).

The answer is False as All formulae in Excel must start with an equal sign (=).

Presenter:

Question 3: Which of the following is not a mathematical operator?

A. +

B. *

C. &

The answer is C, the ampersand symbol (&) is not a mathematical operator.

Presenter:

Question 4: Both cells A1 and A2 will finally display the value 9.

The answer is False as Cell A1 will display 4+5 as there is no equal sign. Hence, it is not

a formula.

True False

True False

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Presenter:

Question 5: Which of the following keyboard shortcuts can be used to select the multiply (*)

operator?

A. +

B. +

C. +

The answer is A the Shift Key is used to get the multiply symbol on the main keyboard.

Presenter:

Question 6: When you change a value in a cell, the result is updated automatically.

The answer is True as Microsoft Excel allows for automatic calculation.

Slide Title: End of Quick Test

Presenter: Well, this is the end of our quick test. I hope that you have been able to find all the

correct answers. Now, it’s time to recap today’s lesson.

Slide Title: Recap

Presenter: Today we have learnt that a formula is an expression which calculates the value of

a cell. All formulae in Excel must start with an equal sign (=). Excel uses mathematical

operators for formulae such as a plus sign for addition (+), a minus sign for subtraction (-),

CTRL *

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ALT *

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*

8 SHIFT

True False

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an asterisk for multiplication (*) and a forward slash for division (/). Then we also had a look

on how to get these operators on the keyboard. Then we have also seen how to combine a

mathematical operator with cell references. There was also a demonstration on how to create

simple formulae.

Presenter: Dear students, thank you for your attention. I hope that you have enjoyed today’s

lesson. Good bye and see you soon for another lesson on spreadsheet.