1. Introducing Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet packages are used for storing numbers and performing calculations using formulae. Examples include bank account details, company expenditure, league tables. e.g Excel

	Feature	Need to know!
	Cell	Each location in a spreadsheet is called a cell. Each cell can be identified by its 'cell reference' made up from a column letter and row number e.g A4, D16, F24 etc
	Rows	Run horizontally across the page and identified by a number.
	Column	Run vertically down a page each with their own letter.
	Value	A value is a number or the result of a formula.
	Text	Text is entered to label columns (column headers) or rows (row headers). It can be even used to explain what is going on a spreadsheet.
	Alter column width and row heights.	Columns can be widened to show users all the data in a column. Row heights too, can also be changed.
	Insert/Delete columns and rows.	Extra columns and rows can be added to your spreadsheet if you want to add extra data. They can also be deleted.
	Alter cell format or attributes	Helps you set up the properties of a cell. Text and numbers can be altered according to the font, style, size and colour you want. Numbers can also be formatted to particular number types. For example they can be set to show a set number of decimal places, to show up as a percentage or to currency format so that the currency symbol is entered for you.
	Formula	A formula sets out a calculation that has to be carried out on the data. You need to recognise and use formula such as : =A4 + A5 (adding the contents of two cells) =B6 - B7 (subtracting the contents of two cells) =C6/C8 (Dividing the contents of two cells) =D6 * D9 (multiplying the contents of two cells)
You should also know and be able to use these simple functions.
	Example	Means
	=sum(A1:A6)	Adds up all the numbers in cells starting in A1 and finishing in A6)
	=average(B3:B12)	Calculates the average of the values from B3 to B12)
	=max(A4:A10)	Finds the largest value in the range A4 to A10
	=min(B8:B16)	Finds the smallest value in the range B8 to B16

What you have to do!

Parts of a Spreadsheet Explained! Click to Go Larger Screen

Watch Movie 1 to become familiar with:-

1. Rows,
2. Columns,
3. Cells and Cell referencing, and;
4. What can go into cells (Text, Numbers & Formulae)

Mark off Exercise 1 in your Progress Grids

What you should now be able to do!

• Identify the different parts of a spreadsheet

• Explain that a Cell Reference is a combination of COLUMN LETTER and ROW NUMBER e.g G4.

• Locate a particular cell on a spreadsheet according to a cell reference.

• Explain that only three things can be placed inside a cell

  • Text (used for labels)

  • Numbers (used in calculations)

  • Formulae (actually do the calculations)

Continue to Section 2: Formula and Functions