This lab introduces you to writing formulas and using functions
in Microsoft Excel. You will use Excel to create a spreadsheet that will calculate your current grade to date for this class. For an introduction to Excel and to spreadsheets in general, read
Chapter 13.
In this lab, you will create a handy spreadsheet to track your current standing in this course. In this lab, you will enter all perfect scores and end up with 100% and an A, so that we can easily check your work and your formulas.
After you have completed this lab, you will have a tool that you can use to track your progress throughout the rest of the class. Look up your grades in Catalyst Gradebook and enter your scores on a copy of the spreadsheet.
Depending on the operating system and how you choose to access the program, look for Excel under "Programs" or "All Programs". Find it in the "Microsoft Office" folder.
If Excel did not open a new spreadsheet for you, click on the "Create a New Microsoft Office Document" and then choose the "Blank Workbook" option.
Microsoft Excel 2007 (Older versions will look slightly different)
A spreadsheet is a table that stores data and calculations. Each "box" in the spreadsheet is a cell. The cells are each in a row and a column. As you can see from the new spreadsheet that you created, the rows are numbered (1,2,3,...). The columns are lettered, (A,B,C,...). We can refer to a cell by its column letter and row number. For example, the cell in the upper most left-hand corner of the spreadsheet is A1.
While sometimes spreadsheets are used as makeshift databases, do not confuse them with actual databases. A spreadsheet is a very powerful tool with many uses, but it is not a database in the traditional meaning of the word and is not to be confused with actual database applications (e.g. Microsoft Access).
Open the Lab 10 WebQ and answer questions 1-3. It's easiest if you keep the WebQ open while completing this lab. Toggle back and forth between WebQ, instructions, and spreadsheet with Alt-Tab.