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Digital Scholarship Center: Excel: Memorizing and Recognizing Basic Functions and Formulas

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Excel: Memorizing and Recognizing Basic Functions and Formulas

To use a formula/function, you must first memorize some basic functions. This tutorial will teach you to recognize some basic Excel functions/formulas. 

  1. Open Microsoft Excel, Click the plus button to open a blank workbook.  
     
  2. Input all necessary data into the workbook.
     
  3. Select an empty cell.
     
  4. Type an equal sign along with the corresponding formula (formulas listed below) See the below screenshot for an example.

    A photo showing a formula being entered into Excel

    =SUM: Calculates the sum of data

    =AVERAGE: Calculates the mean of data

    =COUNT: Counts the number of cells in a range that contains numbers

    =INT: Removes the decimal portion of a number and leaves integer

    =ROUND: Rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places 

    =IF: Tests for a true or false condition and then returns one value

    =NOW: shows the system date and time

    =TODAY: shows the system date, without the time

    =SUMIF: Calculates a sum of the data that are found in values that are included because a condition is met

    =COUNTIF: Counts the number of cells in a range that match the specified criteria

 

  1.  Refer to the tutorial: Excel: How to Use a Formula for more help using each formula/function.

     
  2. Don't forget to save your work.