Cell: Range - Selecting
A range of cells is a block containing several cells.
The top left and bottom right cells identify the block. For example -- B2:D4 is the block of cells with B2 at the top left and D4 at the bottom right. This block contains all of the following cells: B2, C2, D2, B3, C3, D3, B4, C4, D4.

To select a range of cells:

  1. Move the (thick white cross-shaped) mouse pointer over the first cell in the range (usually the top left cell) and press the left mouse button.
  2. Hold the button down while you move the pointer to the last cell in the range (in our example this would be the bottom right cell).
  3. Release the mouse button when the block of cells has been selected. You will notice that the cell you started with usually has a white background and all of the other cells will have a black or dark background.

Column - Insert/Delete
You have already created a worksheet and you would like to add a column between those that already exist.

Steps to insert a column into a worksheet:

  1. Select the entire column at the location where the new column should be inserted. You select the entire column, including the heading, by clicking on its column heading (the letter at the top of the column which indicates the name of the column).
  2. Move the pointer anywhere within the selected column and right-click the mouse.
  3. Choose Insert from the displayed Shortcut menu.

Before the new column is inserted, the contents of columns starting at the point of insertion and to the right of this column are moved one place to the right. After this is done the new, blank column is inserted.

Steps to delete a column from a worksheet:

  1. Select the entire column that you want to delete. You select the entire column, including the heading, by clicking on its column heading (the letter at the top of the column which indicates the name of the column).
  2. Move the pointer anywhere within the selected column and right-click the mouse.
  3. Choose Delete from the displayed Shortcut menu.

As the column is deleted, the contents of columns to the right of this column are moved one place to the left.


Row - Insert/Delete
You have already created a worksheet and you would like to add a row between those that already exist.

Steps to insert a row into a worksheet:

  1. Select the entire row at the location where the new row should be inserted. You select the entire row, including its heading, by clicking on its row heading (the number at the far left which indicates the name of the row).
  2. Move the pointer anywhere within the selected row and right-click the mouse.
  3. Choose Insert from the displayed Shortcut menu.

Before the new row is inserted, the contents of rows starting at the point of insertion and below this row are moved one place down. After this is done the new, blank row is inserted.

Steps to delete a row from a worksheet:

  1. Select the entire row to be deleted. You select the entire row, including its heading, by clicking on its row heading (the number at the far left which indicates the name of the row).
  2. Move the pointer anywhere within the selected row and right-click the mouse.
  3. Choose Delete from the displayed Shortcut menu.

As the row is deleted, the contents of rows below this row are moved one place up.

Column - Adjust width
This is one method to either to use to make a column wider or narrower.

You will do the following:

  1. Move the pointer in the column headings over the vertical bar on the right side of the column whose width you are going to change.

The shape of the pointer should change to a bar with a double-headed arrow.

  1. Press the left mouse button, hold it down and drag the side of the column to the left or right.
  2. Release the mouse button when the column is the width you want.

Row - Adjust height
This is one method to either to use to make a row higher or lower.

You will do the following:

  1. Move the pointer in the row headings over the horizontal bar on the top of the row whose height you are going to change.

The shape of the pointer should change to a bar with a double-headed arrow.

  1. Press the left mouse button, hold it down and drag the rop of the row up or down.
  2. Release the mouse button when the row is the height you want.

Cell: Single - Move by dragging
You want to change the location of one cell -- move it to another location in the worksheet.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the cell you want to move by pointing and clicking on it.
  2. Move the pointer over its darkened frame (pointer should be an arrow when on the frame).
  3. Press the left mouse button down and hold it down while you drag the frame.
  4. Release the mouse button when you have the frame at the located where there cell should now be.

Note: If you want to copy the cell and not move it you will perform the same steps as above. There is only one change -- in the third step hold down the CTRL key first before you press the left mouse button. You must hold down this key while you are moving the frame. When you release the mouse you will also release this key, as a result a copy of the cell will appear at the new location.

Cell: Range - Move by dragging
You want to change the location of a range of cells -- move it to another location in the worksheet.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the range of cells you want to move.
  2. Move the pointer over the darkened frame around the range (pointer should be an arrow when on the frame).
  3. Press the left mouse button down and hold it down while you drag the frame.
  4. Release the mouse button when you have the frame at the located where the range of cells should now be.

Note: If you want to copy the range of cells and not move it you will perform the same steps as above. There is only one change -- in the third step hold down the CTRL key first before you press the left mouse button. You must hold down this key while you are moving the frame. When you release the mouse you will also release this key, as a result a copy of the cell range will appear at the new location.

Sum a single row/column
You want to add all of the values in a row/column.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the cell where you want the sum to appear.
  2. Click the AutoSum button on the Standard toolbar. You should see a formula, for example: =SUM(B3:B8), appear in that cell.
  3. Press Enter or click the Enter button (check mark on the formula bar) to accept the formula. You should now see the sum in the cell you first selected.

Note: AutoSum searches for cells containing numbers either above or to the left of the active cell, it then uses these cells automatically as arguments. If numbers are found both above and to the left of the cell, Excel will select the range of cells above the active cell. If this is not what you want, edit the formula.

Formula - Description
What is a formula?

Formulas always begin with an equal (=) sign.

Think of it as one side of an equation, the result of which appears in the cell you select. For example to add cells you might enter:
=B5 + B6 + B7 + B8 or =C2 + C3 + C4 + C5 or =D5 + E3 + G9 + B6 + C4

A formula does not usually appear in the selected cell. The result is shown in the cell and the formula appears on the Formula bar.

Function - Description
What is a function?

It is a formula which is part of Excel. Excel has a description of how to use each of the functions. All that you need to supply is the the name of the function and the cells which the function must use to perform the calculation.

Excel contains more than 200 functions. The most important of these is SUM -- which is used to add the values of cells. The cells to be summed are given to the function as arguments. Arguments are given to the function within parentheses. If the cells to be summed are next to each other, the argument can refer to them as a range.
For example: this formula: =B5 + B6 + B7 + B8 can be written as =SUM(B5:B8}

Formulas: Copy Column/Row by dragging
You have created a formula at the end of a column of values and you want to use the same formula for adjacent columns/rows.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the cell where you have entered the formula.
  2. Move the mouse pointer over the frame so that it is in the lower left corner of the frame. You should be over a small dark rectangle or box in that corner. This box is called the fill handle. When the pointer is on this small rectangle is changes to a small dark cross.
  3. Press down the left mouse button and hold it down while you drag the pointer to the cells where you want the formula to be copied.
  4. Release the mouse button when you have reached the last cell to have the formula copied into it. Each of the cells you have moved over should now be displaying the results of the formula.

Note: As you drag the fill handle, Excel automatically adjusts the range argument to correspond with each cell into which the formula is copied. For example: if the formula started out in cell B8 as =SUM(B5:B7) as it is copied into cell C8 it becomes =SUM(C5:C7) and as it is copied into cell D8 it becomes =SUM(D5:D7), etc.

Sum multiple rows and columns
You would like to add together all of the values within a range.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the range of cells whose values you want to add.
  2. Click the AutoSum button on the Standard toolbar.
  3. The sum will appear as follows:

Note: You will notice from the above explanation that you can sum the rows and columns of a cell range at the same time. There must be numbers in the cells.

Calculate: Difference
Difference -- means you are want to subtract (-) the values within two cells.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the cell where you want the result to appear.
  2. Type an equal sign (=), it should appear on the Formula bar.
  3. Select the first cell to be part of the formual (that is, the value you are subtracting from). When you select the cell, you point and click the left mouse button. This will cause the cell name to appear on the Formula bar after the equal sign.
  4. Type the minus sign(-).
  5. Select the second cell to be part of the formual (that is, the amount you are subtracting). When you select the cell, you point and click the left mouse button. This will cause the cell name to appear on the Formula bar after the minus sign.
  6. Press Enter or click the Enter button (check mark on the formula bar) to accept the formula. You should now see the difference in the cell you first selected.

Calculate: Average
Average -- sum all of the values to be averaged, count how many of these values have been added, then divide the sum of these numbers by the count of these numbers.

You will do the following:

  1. Select the cell where you want the result to appear.
  2. Click the Paste Function button on the Standard toolbar.
  3. You want to select the Average function. It is located in the Statistical category. Select that category.
  4. Select AVERAGE from the list of statistical function names.
  5. Click OK.
  6. The Formula Palette opens. You must fill the Number1 argument. To do this select the cell range you are going to use direclty from the worksheet. If the palette covers the window, click the button to the right of the Number1 box. This reduces the palette and only the Number1 box is visible. Now select the desired cell range.
  7. Click OK.
  8. The result should now appear in the cell you originally selected.

Note: The Formula Palette has no title bar. You can shrink it if it covers cells that you want to select. You can move it if you want. It can be moved by moving the mouse pointer over the palette, pressing and holding down the left mouse button, and dragging the palette to another location.

Minimun/Maximum
Minimum and Maximum are functions.

Minimum is used to find the smallest value within a range of values.

Maximum is used to find the largest value within a range of values.

To use these functions you:

  1. Select the cell where you want the result to appear.
  2. Click the Paste Function button on the Standard toolbar.
  3. These functions are located in the Statistical category. Select that category.
  4. Select MIN or MAXfrom the list of statistical functions.
  5. Click OK.
  6. The Formula Palette opens. You must fill the Number1 argument. To do this select the cell range you are going to use direclty from the worksheet. If the palette covers the window, click the button to the right of the Number1 box. This reduces the palette and only the Number1 box is visible. Now select the desired cell range.
  7. Click OK.
  8. The result should now appear in the cell you originally selected.