Basic Excel Formulas

We can make Excel work smarter for us with simple formulas that handle our numbers fast! Whether we’re adding up vegetable costs with =SUM(A1:A5) or finding the average with =AVERAGE(B1:B10), these handy tools help us with budgeting and figuring things out. Let’s get started and learn them together!

Basic Functions in Excel

We have a dataset of vegetable costs from a week in a household. Using this, we explore essential Excel functions to analyze the data effectively.

1. Sum Function

This function adds all values within a selected range, helping us calculate the total cost of vegetables.

Syntax:

=SUM(number1, [number2], ...)

Where,

• number1, [number2]: are the numbers, cell references (e.g., C3:C8), or ranges to add together. Use this to calculate the total of values, like summing vegetable costs in C3:C8

2. Max Function

We use this to identify the highest value in a range, such as finding the most expensive vegetable.

Syntax:

=MAX(number1, [number2], ...)

Where,

• number1, [number2]: are the numbers or range (e.g., C5:C12) to evaluate. Apply this to find the highest value, such as the most expensive item in a list.

3. Min Function

This helps us find the lowest value in a range, useful for spotting the cheapest item.

Syntax:

=MIN(number1, [number2], ...)

Where,

• number1, [number2]: are the numbers or range (e.g., C5:C10) to evaluate. Use this to determine the lowest value, like the cheapest vegetable.

4. Average Function

We calculate the average value in a range to understand typical costs.

Syntax:

=AVERAGE(number1, [number2], ...)

Where,

• number1, [number2]: are the numbers or range (e.g., C5:C10) to average. Employ this to find the mean value, such as the average cost of items.

5. Count Function

This counts the number of cells with values in a range, aiding in data tracking.

Syntax:

=COUNT(number1, [number2], ...)

Where,

• number1, [number2]: are the numbers or range (e.g., C5:C10) to count.

6. Len Function

We use this to determine the number of characters in a text string, useful for data validation.

Syntax:

=LEN(text)

Where,

• text is a cell reference (e.g., A5) containing the text string to measure. Apply this to count characters, like the length of "brinjal".

7. Sumif Function

This adds values in a range that meet a specific condition, enhancing selective calculations.

Syntax:

=SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])

Where,

• range is the cells to check (e.g., C5:C10), criteria is the condition (e.g., ">20"), and [sum_range] (optional) is the cells to sum if different from range. Use this to add values meeting a condition, like costs over 20.

8. AverageIf Function

We calculate the average of values meeting a condition with this function.

Syntax:

=AVERAGEIF(range, criteria, [average_range])

Where,

• range is the cells to check (e.g., C5:C10), criteria is the condition (e.g., ">20"), and [average_range] (optional) is the cells to average if different from range. Apply this to average values meeting a condition, like costs above 20.

Next Steps

We look forward to exploring advanced functions like VLOOKUP and IF in future guides, expanding our Excel skills further.