Microsoft Excel

The basics for writing a chemistry lab

using Excel 2007 (or whatever is on
this computer)
 Overview
• Identifying the basics
• Entering Data
• Analyzing Data
• Other Cool Things
• Examples
EXPLORING THE BASICS
 What are the basics of Excel?
• Each box is called a cell
• Cells are identified by a
letter and number
• Cells store data in
different forms
– Text
– Numbers
• Fraction
• Percentage
– Time
– Date
 What are the basics of Excel?
• The bar where you type your information is
called the formula bar
• Not only can you enter single bits of
information, you can enter mathematical
formulas
 What are the basics of Excel?
• To move through the cells
– [tab] will move you to the right
– [shift][tab] will move you to the left
– [enter] will move you down
– [shift][enter] will move you up
• There are several different sheets in one
document. You can use these to organize your
data or separate your experiments.
INPUTTING DATA
 How do I enter data?
• Simply type in your data
as you see on your data
tables – excel will auto
format the type of data
inputted.
• Data shown is the
average amount of
money each household
spends on the stated
item within a region
 How do I calculate data?
• To calculate data, click on the cell where you want the
formula applied and hit the = key. This transforms the
cell from storing data to storing a formula. Type the
formula you want, clicking cells to use the numbers
stored in them.
• Keep in mind that order of operations still applies.
 How do I calculate data?
• To repeat a calculation, simply copy the cell
with the formula, highlight and paste unto the
blank cells.
• The formula will match the data in that row or
column.
 How do I calculate data?
• When copying and pasting formulas, to hold a
cell constant, use the $ sign in front of the cell
name.
• This time, when the data is copy and pasted,
the “60” will be held constant.
 How do I calculate data?
• Normal mathematical
functions also exist in Excel
– Average: average()
– Sum: sum() or use the
[sigma] button
– Or use the +,-,*,/ operations
ANALYZING DATA
 How do I sort data?
• To sort data, highlight the data you want to
sort and on the menu bar, select data, then
sort.
• Then select the column and order you wish to
sort.
 How do I sort data?
Before Sorting After Sorting
How do I make a graph from my data?

• Place the x and y

data you want
on the chart
next to each
other. Highlight
the data and
select the type
of chart you
want to insert.
How do I make a graph from my data?
• After clicking the type of graph desired, click
on individual parts of the graph to format
them. You can change:
– Color of the data points
– Font and size of labels
– Borders, gradients, and fills
How do I make a graph from my data?
• To give the graph a title, click on the graph and
use the menu layout function. Under the
labels section, you can give the graph a title,
label the axis, and change the names in the
legend.
 How do I make a graph from my data?
Distance vs Time
30

25

20
Distance (m)

15
Meters

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time (s)
How do I add a trend line to my graph?

• With the graph

still clicked, under
the layout menu
and the analysis
section, select
“Trendline.”
How do I add a trend line to my graph?
• To display the intercept and slope of the trend
line, right click the line and select “Format
Trendline…”. Make sure you select the
trendline, not the data points, or the chart
backdrop.
• Under Trendline Options, select “Display
Equation on chart”.
How do I add a trend line to my graph?
OTHER COOL THINGS
 How do I export data?
• Highlight the desired area and copy and paste
with [ctrl][c] and [ctrl][v] or [command][c] and
[command][v] on a mac.
• Take a screen shot with print screen with
[fn][prt sc] or [shift][command][3] on a mac.
• Save the worksheet as a PDF.
How do I make my charts prettier?
• Accent the header row by
bolding or underlining the
text.
• To isolate a chart, highlight
the desired area and under
the home menu and the font
section, select the border
button.
How do I make my charts prettier?
• You can also enhance the
aesthetics of a chart by
using the fill function. To
fill a cell, select a sell or
group of cells, and hit the
fill button under the
home menu and the font
section.
EXAMPLES
 Where do I find my data?
• Go to
http://lib.stat.cmu.e
du/DASL/Datafiles/
teacherpaydat.html
and copy the
section 3 data
– or –
copy the following
into a spreadsheet.
 What data should I calculate?
• For every state shown, based on the average
teacher’s salary and the average spending per
student:
– Calculate the average number of students that
each teacher teaches
– Round the number of students to the thousandth
place
What does the calculated data look
like?
 What graph should I make?
• Create a scatter plot relating the original data
– Use the spending/student as the independent axis
– Use the teachers’ salary as the dependent data
– Label the data series “West Region”
– Add an appropriate title, x axis, and y axis labels
– Add a trendline for the data, showing both the
equation and regression value
 How do I make the graph?
• Switch columns B and C so the data reads X
then Y.
• Highlight the data and select insert > charts >
scatter.
• Select design > data > select data and change
the series name from “series 1” to “West
Region”
• Select layout > labels and name all appropriate
labels
• Select layout > analysis and give the graph a
 What does my graph look like?
Avg Teachers' Salary vs Avg Spending per Student
45000

40000

35000

30000
Average Teachers' Salary

y = 2.9428x + 14625
25000 R² = 0.803

West Region
20000
Linear (West Region)

15000

10000

5000

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Average Spendings per Student
 How do we add more series?
• With the original
data, enter a new
column for region.
Enter “West” next
to all the original
data.
• Additionally, enter
the data to the
right.
 What should I add to my current
graph?
• Plot the data on the same graph (or create a
new graph with both data sets).
– Add a trendline and a regression for both sets of
data
– Make sure the legend clearly labels both sets of
data
 What should my new graph look like?
Avg Teachers' Salary vs Avg Spendings per Student
45000

40000

35000
West
30000
Average Teachers' Salary

25000
North East and North Central

20000

15000
Linear (West)
y = 2.9428x + 14625
10000 R² = 0.803

5000
Linear (North East and North Central)
y = 3.5187x + 10695
0 R² = 0.5683
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Average Spending per Student
 What can we infer from out data and
analysis?
West Region
• Regression correlation: R2 value is
.803
• Implies that there is a relatively
strong correlation
• The West is newer, therefore the
schools are not as established (no
tenure rates, inflation has not been
there as long as in the north or
east)
North East and North Central
• Regression correlation: R2
value is .5683
• Implies that there is a weak
correlation
• The North is more established
and has more history, so with
a mix of both old and new
teachers, the pay may not be
as fair
 What conclusions can we draw?
• There is a stronger correlation between teachers’
pay and spending per student in the west as
opposed to the north
• However, there are other factors such as
performance of teachers, tenure, etc that have
not been accounted for
• With the original data, we can conclude that
teachers in the west are being paid according to
how much a district spends on each student. We
can also infer that the more wealthy school
districts pay their teachers better.
QUESTIONS?
END