Introduction to Excel
ACADEMIC CELL e-Primer 2019-21
We will use Excel to:
1. Store and organize data,
2. Analyze data, and
3. Represent data graphically (e.g., in bar graphs, histograms, and scatterplots)
Academic Cell e-Primer 2019-21
Excel Basics
Excel spreadsheets organize information (text and numbers) by rows and
columns:
This is a row.
Rows are represented by
numbers along the side
of the sheet.
This is a column.
Columns are represented by
letters across the top of the
sheet.
e-Primer 2019-21
Excel Basics
A cell is the intersection between a
column and a row.
Each cell is named for the column
letter and row number that intersect to
make it.
e-Primer 2019-21
Data Entry
There are two ways to enter information into a cell:
1. Type directly into the cell. 2. Type into the formula bar.
Click on a cell, and type in the data Click on a cell, and then click in the
(numbers or text) and press Enter. formula bar (the space next to the
). Now type the data into the bar and
press Enter.
e-Primer 2019-21
Data Entry
1. Open Excel (Start All Programs MS Office Excel).
2. Enter the following information into your spreadsheet:
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Formulas and Functions
Formulas are equations that perform calculations in your spreadsheet. Formulas always
begin with an equals sign (=). When you enter an equals sign into a cell, you are
basically telling Excel to “calculate this.”
Functions are Excel-defined formulas. They take data you select and enter, perform
calculations on them, and return value(s).
Academic Cell e-Primer 2019-21
More on Functions
All functions have a common format – the equals sign followed by the function name followed by the input in
parentheses.
The input for a function can be either:
A set of numbers (e.g., “=AVERAGE(2, 3, 4, 5)”)
This tells Excel to calculate the average of these numbers.
A reference to cell(s) (e.g., “=AVERAGE(B1:B18) or “=AVERAGE (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8)”
This tells Excel to calculate the average of the data that appear in all the cells from B1 to B8.
You can either type these cell references in by hand or by clicking and dragging with your mouse to select
the cells.
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Functions for Descriptive Statistics
Below are several functions you will need to learn for this class. Try them out
with the practice data set.
=AVERAGE(first cell:last cell): calculates the mean
=MEDIAN(first cell:last cell): calculates the median
=MODE(first cell:last cell): calculates the mode
=VARP(first cell:last cell): calculates the variance
=STDEVP(first cell:last cell): calculates the standard deviation
You may directly write the functions for these statistics into cells or the
formula bar, OR
You may use the function wizard ( in the toolbar)
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Functions for Descriptive Statistics
Your Excel
spreadsheet should
now look like this:
Academic Cell e-Primer 2019-21
REFERENCES
• https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/excel/study/basic-
excel-formulas-beginners/
• https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/2017/06/14/basic-excel-
formulas-functions-examples/
• https://exceljet.net/formulas
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