For many computer users, Excel spreadsheets are just a visual representation of the data grouped in a table. But with skillful handling and knowledge of working with Excel, this application turns into a powerful tool that can be of great help.
Excel Calculations
One such feature in Excel is the ability to use formulas for calculations. Consider how to enter a formula in Excel to perform actions with data in a worksheet. To get started, let’s try to use an example of the simplest arithmetic operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
To insert a formula, the “=” sign is written in the cell, after which the necessary calculations are indicated. Having written the text “= 5 + 3” in the cell and going to another cell, we will see not the text we wrote, but the result of the calculation.
In more complex expressions, actions are performed as usual: first, multiplication and division in order, then addition and subtraction. To change the order of calculations, the formula in Excel is entered as in arithmetic using brackets. The figure shows that the cell contains the result, and the formula itself is shown in the line above.
Formula Links
But more often in tables it is necessary to make calculations over already entered data. To use values in cells, links are used that point to the field where the data is stored.
Suppose the table of a travel agency stores information about the price at which the hotel provides the company with a room and the cost for which the agency sells this room to a partner from another country. Let's see how to enter a formula in Excel, if you need to perform calculations on the table data.
Let's calculate what the agency’s net profit is when selling one room for one night. To do this, as usual, write an equal sign in the cell, and then indicate the coordinates of the fields that participate in the calculations. In our example, subtract the value of C2 from the value in the field D2. The formula looks like this: "= D2-C2", and in cell E2 there is a difference between these two parameters.
There is another way to enter a formula in Excel with the same result. It is necessary to write the “=” sign, then click on the field D2, in the line of the expression after the appeared text “= D2” write the subtraction sign and click on the field C2. The cells involved in the calculations are painted in colors corresponding to the font color of the field names in the formula:
Names
For more convenient use of links, you can give the cells names. These names show the logical meaning of the meaning contained therein. In our example, before entering the formula in Excel, give cell D2 the name "Cost", and field C2 - "Price". The name is entered in the formula bar field below the Excel toolbar.
Now we write the calculation as "= Cost-Revenue". And we get the same result as before, when we used only cell references.
You can also assign a name to a field using the "Assign Name" operation of the "Formulas" tab of the application. The Defined Names toolbar serves this purpose. Here you can give a name not only to a single cell, but also to the whole range, and then use it in calculations.
Functions in Computing
For non-arithmetic calculations, the application has built-in functions. They allow you to perform various actions - financial and statistical, engineering and logical, type conversions and working with databases. All of them are available for selection on the tab "Formulas".
To insert a function, use the corresponding operation. In the window that opens, the necessary action is selected. It can be found by category, alphabet, or contextual search. The program allows you to use nested functions and perform complex calculations with many arguments.
Percentage of results
Often we need to present the results of calculations. This can be done using arithmetic, but Excel provides a much more convenient feature. Let's look at an example of how to enter a formula in Excel with percentages.
We calculate the share of income from the sale of a room in a hotel. To do this, we find the relative benefit by dividing the absolute value by the cost of the room. In order for the result to be displayed in percent, you must set the appropriate format for it on the "Number" toolbar of the "Home" tab.
In addition to the methods described above, Excel offers many more. A more detailed study of them will give you the opportunity to fully use the capabilities of this program.