Using Spreadsheets Year 7 Key Stage 3 Unit 4

AIM of unit: help you to develop your skills using spreadsheet software

What are spreadsheets? Spreadsheets are extremely useful in everyday life.  They can calculate things very quickly and accurately and then produce graphs or charts to help you visualise your results.  Spreadsheets can also be used to ask questions such as, What if.....?, How much...? and What happened....?

Basic Features of Spreadsheets A spreadsheet looks like a grid of many 'Cells' organised in 'Columns' and 'Rows'

Important Tip The following slides will remind you about some of the spreadsheet terms you may have already met.  You will also be introduced to some new terms and concepts which you will need for the project.

This is the name you choose when you save your file This is called a label. They help you understand what the numbers mean. Useful when you go back to check a spreadsheet later on. This is known as a ‘Value’. When you start are calculation there are numbers you know already, these are called values.

This is known as the ‘Active Cell’. You can tell it is ‘active’ because it has a thick black line around it. Anything you type will now go into this cell.

Test out your knowledge . . . Read the following 4 questions. Think to yourself what the answer is. Check your answers on the next slide. Is the word ‘pizza’ a label or a value? Is the price of bread £0.49 a label or a value? What is the unique cell reference for the yellow square? B3 C2 or A12 What name do we call the cell in C9? Reference Cell Active Cell Unique Cell Value Cell

ANSWERS to questions The word ‘pizza’ is a label The price of bread £0.49 is a value The unique cell reference for the yellow square is C2 The name we call the cell in C9 is the Active Cell

Formulas When you enter a calculation into the spreadsheet, this is called a 'Formula'. There is a formula in cell E9 to add together all the numbers in the coloured cells. The formula is telling the spreadsheet to add together all of the values contained in those cells, and display the answer in Cell E9.  (The answer from this formula is 21). A formula always begins with the  equals =  symbol.  This tells the spreadsheet, "here's a formula I want you to work out for me' =A1+C2+E4+B5+A7+D7

Formulas – Signs and Symbols Spreadsheets use symbols to mean something, just like they do in arithmetic If  I gave you the sum  2+2=, you would be able to give me the answer.  You know that the plus sign (+) means add. It's very similar in a spreadsheet, except that some of the symbols are a little different.

Formulas – Signs & Symbols Try to find the keys for these symbols ( or arithmetic operators) on your keyboard.  The easiest place to use them is on the numeric keypad on the right of the keyboard.

Test out your knowledge . . . Read the following 5 questions. Think to yourself what the answer is. Check your answers on the next slide. All formulas begin with (a) = (b) : (c) / 2. The symbol for addition in a spreadsheet is: (a) & (b) - (c) + The symbol for subtraction in a spreadsheet is: (a) / (b) - (c) * The symbol for division in a spreadsheet is: (a) & (b) / (c) + The symbol for multiplication in a spreadsheet is: (a) / (b) * (c) <

Answers All formulas begin with (a) = (b) : (c) / 2. The symbol for addition in a spreadsheet is: (a) & (b) - (c) + The symbol for subtraction in a spreadsheet is: (a) / (b) - (c) * The symbol for division in a spreadsheet is: (a) & (b) / (c) + The symbol for multiplication in a spreadsheet is: (a) / (b) * (c) <

Test your knowledge . . . Which formula adds the contents of all the pale yellow cells. =A2+B4+D5+A1 =A1+B3+D4+A5 =A2+A5+B4+D5

Click here to load ‘Lottery Spreadsheet.’ Formulas – Why Bother? So why bother with formulas when you can add things up on paper or with a calculator ? Spreadsheets are accurate.  So long as you enter the right values, you will always get the right answer. However, one of the most exciting things is that they allow you to change a value to test out different ideas.  Click on the button below to load the Lottery Exercise. Watch how the spreadsheet and graph tracks your changes. Click here to load ‘Lottery Spreadsheet.’