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)_ To enter a formula:
1. Select the cell in which
you want
to enter
the formula.
2. Type
- to begin
the formula.
The
equal sign appears
in the Edit Area_
3.
Click on the first cell you want
to use in the calculation.
Tbe cell address
appears
in the Edit Area.
4. Type
the mathematical
operator
you want
to use. For example,
type * for
multiplication
(see page
88 for a list of operators).
5.
Click on the second
cell you want
to use. The cell address
appears
in the
Edit Area.
6. Continue
clicking
and typing
operators
until the formula
in the Edit Bar
appears
as you want
it.
7. Click on the Enter button
next to the Edit Area. The resu/t
of the formula
appears
in the cell.
Using References
in Formulas
Most formulas
include at least one
reference.
A reference
tells Spreadsheet
where
to look
to find the values
you want
to
use in a formula.
You can use-two
types
of references
in the formulas
you create:
relative
references
and absolute
references.
Your choice
depends
on how you
want
Spreadsheet
to treat the references
when
you copy
or move
the formula
from one
cell to another:
Relative
references
A relative
reference
tells Spreadsheet
how
to find a particular
cell starting
from the cell containing
the formula,
such
as: go two rows
up and one
column
to the right. It is like telling
someone
how
to get to your house
from
theirs:
go three
blocks
east and then four blocks
south.
Relative references
are cell addresses;
for example, B4,
D8_ and A 1.
When
you copy
a formula
that contains
relative
references
from one
location
to another,
Spreadsheet
adjusts
the references
in the formula
relative
to the
new position
of the formula.
For example,
in an annual
budget
spreadsheet,
you could
use a formula
with relative
references
to add the numbers
in the
January
column;
then,
when
you copy
the formula
to the columns
for
February
through
December,
Spreadsheet
adjusts
the relative
references
so
that each
formula
totals
the numbers
for the column
in which
it appears.
Spreadsheet
86
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