B2
and then select and paste into cell B3 the formula in that cell will be
“
=SQRT(A3)
”. It will operate on the cell
A3
instead of
A2
. If you want to refer to the same
cell after pasting the formula somewhere else, put “$” in front of the column and row number,
e.g.,
$A$2
, to prevent the program from indexing your cell reference.
Unit 4: Software Applications
63
Figure 3- Spreadsheet Screenshot ( taken from
http://www.mech.
utah.edu/~rusmeeha/references/SpreadSheetBasic.pdf
)
Basic Commands
The following are basic commands that you need to know in order to work on spreadsheet
environments.
Menu
Command
Description
Edit
Undo
Undo last command.
Paste Special... enables you paste just the formula, format, or
value of a copied cell
Delete...
Delete a cell, range of cells,
column, or row
in the middle of a
spreadsheet. Be careful
when using Delete...
Fill
Copy and paste the same
formula across
rows or down columns.
Insert
Chart...
Insert a graph based on
selected range of
data.
Function...
Scrolling list of functions
that can be used.
Introduction To Computer Science
64
Format
Cell...
Change the format of
numbers, fonts, etc,
displayed on the screen.
Data
Sort...
Sorting a range of cells
in ascending or
descending order.
There is also an online help available under
Help
menu.
Activity Conclusion
A spreadsheet consists of cells made of rows and columns. Each cell can hold a text, a number,
or a mathematical formula. Before carrying out most commands, you must first select the part
of the worksheet you want to work with. Spreadsheet software enables you to create a tabular
data that can be analyzed and represented in charts or as a table.
Assessment: Reflective Activities
• List out the basic statistical operations that spreadsheet program support
• What is the difference between paste and paste special?
• What key combinations do you use to select cells placed adjacently?
• What key combinations do you use to select cells placed non-contiguosly?
Answers:
• Average, variance, regression, etc
• Using paste only enables you to paste a formula as formula, whereas paste
special enables you to paste a formula as value
• Shift + Click on the last cell
• Ctrl + Click on the cell you want to select
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