Data Analysis with spreadsheet packages (MS Excel)

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Lesson1: Understanding Spreadsheets

This lesson Covers Spreadsheets Basics and

looks at:
• Definition of spreadsheets
• The structure of a spreadsheet
• Uses of spreadsheets
• Spreadsheet packages
• Spreadsheet terminology

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Definition of spreadsheets
What is a Spreadsheet package?
• An application software with tools specifically for data
analysis.
What is a Spreadsheet?
• A spreadsheet is the work area for entering and
calculating data made up of columns and rows separated
by gridlines (light gray lines). It is also called a worksheet.
• Originally a spreadsheet was simply a piece of paper on
which people added up columns and rows of numbers to
help them plan budgets. The name spreadsheet derives
from the fact that in the old days the figures were
“spread” out on a “sheet” of paper.
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Definition of spreadsheets
Row

Column

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 The structure of a spreadsheet

How are Spreadsheets Structured?

• A spreadsheet is made up of columns and rows
separated by gridlines. Columns are numbered
alphabetically from left to right i.e A, B, C...
• rows are numbered numerically from top to
bottom i.e 1, 2, 3,...
• The intersection of a row and a column is called
a cell.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 The structure of a spreadsheet

Columns
numbered
alphabetically

cell

Rows numbered numerically

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 30 June 2021: Do the exerciseand
submit your work as typed
Exercise
1.State any two applications/uses of spreadsheets
a)At home (2)
b)At School(2)
c)In your daily work activities (2)
2. Define the following Spreadsheet terms (8)
a)Cell Reference (2)
b)Relative Cell Reference (2)
c)Formulabar (2)
d)Formula (2)
(Total=14 marks)
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Spreadsheet packages

There are various spreadsheet application

packages
• Microsoft Excel
• Lotus 1,2,3
• SPSS
• OpenOffice.org Calc
• Apple Numbers
NB You may identify others.
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Spreadsheet terminology

Term Description
Workbook An Excel file with one or more worksheets.
Worksheet The work area for entering and calculating data made up of
columns and rows separated by gridlines (light gray lines).
Also called a spreadsheet.
Sheet Tabs Tabs that appear at the bottom of the workbook window,
which displays the name of each worksheet.
Cell A cell is the intersection of a column and a row on a
worksheet. You enter data into cells to create a worksheet.
Active Cell Is the currently highlighted cell.
The active cell contains the cell pointer, a dark outline around
the cell.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Spreadsheet terminology
Term Description
Cell The location of a cell in a worksheet identified by its column
Reference letter and row number. This is also known as the cell’s
address.
Relative Cell A cell address expressed in relation to another cell in a
Reference formula. For example, rather than naming a cell such as A3, a
relative cell reference might identify a range of cells to the left
of the cell containing the formula.
Range A block of cells in an Excel worksheet.
Print Area The specified range of cells to be printed.
Formula An instruction Excel uses to calculate a number.
Formula Bar As you enter data into a cell, it simultaneously appears in the
Formula bar, which is located above the worksheet frame.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Lesson 2: Introduction to Microsoft Excel

The lesson looks at:

• Starting Microsoft Excel
• Excel Window Overview
• Workbooks and worksheets
• Identifying Cells, Columns and Rows
• Inserting, highlighting and deleting columns, rows,
cells
• Opening and saving excel files
• Formatting Worksheet and Data
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Starting Microsoft Excel

To open Excel, click the Start button, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Office,
and then click Microsoft Office Excel. You may double click its shortcut on the
desktop, or click it from recently accessed programs on the start menu

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Excel Window Overview

Formula
bar

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Opening and saving excel files

Activity:
• Start Microsoft Excel and Save a Workbook
• Save the same workbook in different locations
like desktop, my documents , C drive, Flash
disk, desktop folders, etc

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Opening and saving excel files

To save a workbook,
click the Office button,
click Save As and
choose how do you
want to save.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Workbooks and worksheets

Activity:
• Add and remove worksheets
• Move or rearrange worksheet by dragging
them to specific positions.
• Rename Worksheets.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Workbooks and worksheets

• To rename a worksheet:
– double-click the sheet tab
– type the new name
– press ENTER

• You can also Delete &

Insert a Worksheet as well.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Entering Data in worksheets
There are two ways to enter information into a cell:

1. Type directly into the cell.

Click on a cell, and type in the
data (numbers or text) and
press Enter.

2. Type into the formula bar.

Click on a cell, and then click in
the formula bar (the space
next to the ). Now type the
data into the bar and press
Enter.
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Inserting, highlighting and deleting columns,
rows, cells
Activity:
• Create a register for your class with columns for surname and first names by typing their
surname in column A and First Names in column B starting from cell A1
• Insert a row above row 1 and add column headings.
• Sort the register by surname in ascending order, use the data tab and choose sort.
• Add a column on the right after first names for their ages
• Insert a column between Age and First Name for Gender.
• Re sort the register by gender followed by surname. Add a level on the sort dialog box to also
sort by surname.
• Add columns for the your subjects e.g Maths, English and Shona and record learner’s term
marks.
• And another column for Total marks and use the sum function to calculate total marks for the
first learner.
• Drag and drop the formula for the rest of the other students.
• Sort your register by Total order by largest to smallest and give positions to learners.
• Highlight a column for first names, press down ctrl key and highlight columns for you subjects
and insert a chart

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Formatting
Activity:
• Highlight columns, rows or the entire
worksheet.
• Bold, underling, italize, change font colors,
type and size.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Lesson 3: The Excel Ribbon

• The office button

• The office button
contains menus for
opening new and
existing files,
saving, printing
and preparing the
document for use.
• It also contains
recent documents.
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 The Excel Ribbon tabs
• The Home Tab: Used for Formatting & Editing

• Insert Tab: Used for Inserting shapes, charts, text boxes, pictures, headers/footers

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 The Excel Ribbon tabs
• Page Layout Tab: Used for margins, page orientation, and gridlines.

• Formulas Tab: Used for functions and formulas.

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Lesson 4: Formulas and functions (Time)

Built in formulas
Formulas and Functions begin with =
Use the Formulas Menu, fx on the formulas bar, or
AUTOSUM arrow

Example of a function:
◦ =AVERAGE(B13:D13)
◦ Use a range of cells (B13:D13)
◦ Colon means Excel will average cells B13 through D13
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 Common functions
SUM
◦ Calculates the sum of a range of
cells
MAX
◦ Displays the largest value in a
range of cells
MIN
◦ Displays the smallest value in a
range of cells
COUNT
◦ Calculates the number of values in
a range of cells
AVERAGE
◦ Calculates the average of values in
a range of cells
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 AUTOSUM
• Build in sum function.
• Most commonly used function.
• AUTOSUM adds the values above the active
cell first (default).
• If no values are above the cell, it sums to the
left of the active cell.
• If Excel doesn’t select the correct range, you
may select the range you want.
Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025
 FORMULA FOR GRADES

IF(E5>=
80;”A”;IF(E5>=70;”B”;IF(E5>=60;”C”;IF(E5>=50”D
”;IF(E5>=40;”E”;))))
 FORMULA FOR RANK/ POSITION
• POSITION IN EXCEL ---- =RANK(E5;$E$5:$E$8)

• $-IS FOR ABSOLUTE REFERENCING

 Lesson 5: Charts and Graphs (Time)

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025

 Lesson 6: Printing your worksheets (Time)

Basic Computer Skills Module 4 Friday, January 24, 2025