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Remember using formulas to calculate simple math problems like 2+2=4, or 2 pizzas x $10
dollars = $20? You can use these same formulas to work with numerical data in your spreadsheets,
just like you would use a calculator.
Google Spreadsheets uses standard operators for math equations, like a plus sign for addition;
a minus sign for subtraction; an asterisk for multiplication; a forward slash for division;
and a caret for exponents.
You're probably used to seeing equations like 5+5=_, but in Google Spreadsheets, the equal
sign comes first. That's because the cell itself contains (or is equal to) the formula
and its value.
We'll start things off slow with a simple addition formula, to figure out the total
amount of calories consumed during a meal. As you can see, I've already entered the initial
amounts—450 calories for cheesy chicken & broccoli, and 200 for a salad.
To create a formula, select the cell where you want the total to appear… then type
an equal sign. But instead of entering 450+200, we're going to use cell references to create
our formula.
A cell reference is when your formula contains cell addresses instead of the numbers in those
cells. They're useful because they make it possible to update your spreadsheet without
ever having to re-write your formulas.
The values we want are in cells F4 and F5, so we'll write the formula this way: F4+F5.
Press Enter on your keyboard… and the formula totals the numbers in F4 and F5—whether
we leave them the way they are, or change them to something else, say 500 and… 225.
The total recalculates automatically.
There's an even easier way to make cell references. You'll need to use something called the point
and click method. Why don't we give it a try on this formula?
Here I want to calculate the total number of calories burned during today's workout.
That means I'll need to multiply the two numbers you see here—30x9. So I'll start my equation…
then just click this cell to make reference to it.
Now type your operator (in my case, an asterisk)… and click the next cell you want in your formula.
Press Enter… and the total appears.
Editing formulas is also just a click away. If you have any formulas that you want to
fix or modify, all you have to do is double-click the cell. For example, this one is using the
wrong cell reference. We'll just make the change, then press Enter to recalculate.
Now we're getting the correct answer.
As you can see, simple formulas are really pretty simple. Once you know how to use them,
they can help you calculate all kinds of data in your spreadsheets.