Excel 2016 Introduction

Excel 2016

Lesson – Creating Simple Formulas

For example, the result of 2+3*4 is 14, but the result of (2+3)*4 is 20.

NOTE Excel provides an AutoCorrect feature to help you correct formulas that contain errors. AutoCorrect identifies and offers suggestions on common mistakes made when entering formulas. For example, if a formula is entered as =A1+B1+ , AutoCorrect will suggest the formula =A1+B1 . If an error is found, you can either accept the correction provided or correct the formula yourself. When a formula contains just addition and subtraction, it is evaluated from left to right because these two operators have the same level of precedence. Similarly, when a formula contains just multiplication and division, it is evaluated from left to right because the operators have the same level of precedence. However, when the formula contains a mixture of addition or subtraction with multiplication or division, the multiplication and division operators take precedence and are calculated before any addition and subtraction. This may produce a result that is different from the one you were expecting. If you need the addition or subtraction part of the formula to take place before multiplication or division, place parentheses around the addition or subtraction. Forgetting this simple rule is one of the most common mistakes made when creating formulas .

E NTERING F ORMULAS  D ISCUSSION

Formulas begin with an equal sign ( = ) to tell Excel to perform a calculation and because they usually contain cell addresses. The equal sign prevents Excel from interpreting the formula as text, since all cell addresses begin with letters. You enter a formula in the cell where you want the result to appear.

When you enter a formula into a cell, you can either type the cell addresses referenced or use the mouse to select the cells and allow Excel to enter the cell addresses into the formula automatically. If the cell addresses that comprise a formula are not visible from the cell containing the formula, it is more accurate to use the mouse to scroll and select the cell references while creating a formula. You only need to type the equal sign ( = ) to start the formula and then each of the arithmetic operators in the formula when appropriate.

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