Lesson 2.6: Performing Basic Calculations and Formulas in Excel
🔹 What is a Formula?
A formula in Excel is an equation that performs calculations on data in your worksheet.
All formulas in Excel start with an equal sign (=).
🔸 Basic Arithmetic Formulas:
| Operation | Formula Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Addition | =A1 + B1 |
Adds values in A1 and B1 |
| Subtraction | =A1 - B1 |
Subtracts B1 from A1 |
| Multiplication | =A1 * B1 |
Multiplies A1 by B1 |
| Division | =A1 / B1 |
Divides A1 by B1 |
🔹 Basic Functions:
Excel provides ready-made formulas called functions:
| Function | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SUM | =SUM(A1:A5) |
Adds values from A1 to A5 |
| AVERAGE | =AVERAGE(A1:A5) |
Calculates average |
| MAX | =MAX(A1:A5) |
Finds the largest number |
| MIN | =MIN(A1:A5) |
Finds the smallest number |
🛠 Formula Bar:
When you enter a formula in a cell, the result appears in the cell, and the actual formula is shown in the formula bar.
📝 Practice Task:
-
Create a table of 5 products with price and quantity.
-
In a third column, calculate Total = Price × Quantity using a formula.
-
Use
=SUM()to calculate the grand total of all products. -
Try using
=AVERAGE()to find the average price.
