SILS iSchool

 26 March 2020 



Value Added | daily

Class Schedule

Basics | sessions 01-03
  1. 09 Jan intro and clients | lecture | labs
  2. 16 Jan servers and command line | lecture | labs
  3. 23 Jan networks and protocols | lecture | labs
Web Development | sessions 04-07

  1. 30 Jan structural layer | lecture | labs
  2. 06 Feb presentational layer | lecture | labs
  3. 13 Feb using a structure | lecture | labs
  4. 20 Feb behavioral layer | lecture | labs
Document Markup | sessions 08-09
  1. 27 Feb control objects and display | lecture | labs
  2. 05 Mar tools that read markup | lecture | labs
Working with Data | sessions 10-13
  1.  26 Mar  formulas, functions, vectors | lecture | labs
  2.  02 Apr  data display | lecture | labs
  3.  09 Apr  manipulate data sets | lecture | labs
  4.  16 Apr  relational data bases | lecture | labs
Presentation | session 14
  1.  23 Apr  designing and delivering a presentation | lecture | labs


Functions are built-in specialized algorithms.
They can apply to an individual cell or to a range of cells, on the same spreadsheet,
or on another worksheet in the same workbook,
or on another worksheet in another workbook.

Functions are built-in specialized algorithms

use the formula example for function demonstrations too

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Formula

A formula starts with =, and is followed by mathematical operators and cell addresses

For example:

=D4+D5+D6+D7
means
equalsD4plusD5plusD6plusD7

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Function

A function is a predefined formula that performs a mathematical operation on a group of cells

For example:

=SUM(D4:D7)
means equalsadd together the contents of cells D4 through D7
or equalsD4+D5+D6+D7

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Functions have three parts

  1. the = sign which tells Excel that a formula or function follows
  2. the function name such as SUM for addition or AVERAGE for determining the average of a series of numbers
  3. the cells on which the particular function operates must be enclosed by parentheses, and it contains the cell references so that the function knows which cells to calculate
  4. this naming logic is very similar to what we have seen before where a function is applied to a range of cells

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options for entering formulas into the spreadsheet

  1. in the formula bar
  2. directly into the cell
  3. use the name box
  4. OR use the Function Wizard to help you create the desired results
[MSExcel 2014 displaying a power function]

The same is true in Excel for Mac

[MSExcel 2013 displaying a power function]

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Examples of functions

  • =SUM(D4,I48,V65)
  • =AVERAGE(D1:D18)

Functions can perform mathematical operations on a group of cells

=SUM(D4:D7)
means
equalsadd togetherthe contents of cells D4 through D7
or equalsD4+D5+D6+D7

For argument of function:

if individual cells, use commas

=SUM(D2,D3,D5)
means
equalsaddD2 and D3 and D5

if a range of cells, use a colon

= SUM(F2:F4,F7:F17)
means
equalsaddF2 through F4 and F7 through F17together

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Tools to help decide on the function to use

Insert Function or fx function wizard or hit = and then the function draw down box. The Function dialog box has Function Category & Function Name plus a short explanation of what the function does.

[MSExcel 2007+ find function dialog box]

The same is true in Excel for Mac

[MSExcel 2013 find function dialog box]

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Common Functions include:

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Microsoft offers online help for all classes of functions available in MSExcel.

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19 March lecture | preps | spreadsheets | formulas | functions