ACAD WEEK 3: SPREADSHEET PACKAGES

SPREADSHEET PACKAGES
A spreadsheet is an interactive computer application program for organization,
analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Examples of spreadsheet package
are: Microsoft Excel, lotus 1-2-3, google sheet, libre office etc.
APPLICATION AREAS OF A SPREADSHEET
a) Statistical analysis: Spreadsheets provide the user with a variety of
statistical functions that will enable him to perform both simple and
complex statistical operations such as computing the mean, standard
deviation, average, mode etc. for complex statistical operations, the user
need some understanding of statistics.
b) Accounting: Spread sheets are known to be a useful tool to the
accountants for recording and analyzing financial transaction such as
computing totals, consolidating financial records as well as predicting
future business trends.
c) Mathematical and scientific: These involves the use of spreadsheets to
solve mathematical and scientific problems such as arithmetic and
trigonometric.
d) Student result: the use of spreadsheet to compute student results
(GPA/CGPA) has made manual task easier. It does not only reduce the
tedious nature of manual computation of results, but also improve in
greater accuracy, efficiency and standardized result computation.
DATA TYPES IN EXCEL
Here's an explanation of the three types of data most commonly used in
spreadsheet programs:
1. Text data (also called labels): is used for worksheet headings and names
that identify columns of data. Text data can contain letters, numbers,
and special characters such as ! or &.
2. Number data (also called values): is used in calculations. By default,
numbers are right-aligned in a cell. In addition to actual numbers, Excel
also stores dates and times as numbers.
3. Formulas: are mathematical equations that work in combination with
data from other cells on the spreadsheet. Simple formulas are used to
add or subtract numbers. Advanced formulas perform algebraic
equations. Spreadsheet functions are formulas that are built into Excel.
DEFINITION OF BASIC TERMS IN MS-EXCEL
1. Cells: A Cell is the intersection of a row and a column. The highlighted
rectangle on the cell is the cursor but is known as ‘cell pointer’ which
enable users to move around the sheet. They can be identified by the
combination of column header (e.g. ‘A’) and the row header (e.g. ‘1’) to
give cell A1.
2. The Active Cell: The active cell is the cell in the spreadsheet that is
currently selected for data entry. The active cell is the cell that contains
the cell pointer, while the active worksheet is the worksheet where the
cell pointer is currently located.
 3. Data: Data refers to the type of information that can be stored in the
cells of a spreadsheet. Spreadsheet data types include values (numbers),
labels, formulas and functions.
4. Rows: A Row is a horizontal line of cells which runs from left to right in a
worksheet. They can be identified by the numbers at the left-hand-side
of the work sheet. They are numbered from 1, 2, 3 to 1,048,576 in Excel
2007, 2010, 2013 & 2016.
5. Columns: A Column is a vertical line of cells in a worksheet usually
identified by letters across the top of the sheet. There are about 16,384
columns in Excel 2007, 2010, 2013 & 2016.
6. Worksheet: The worksheet (also known as spreadsheet) is the working
area of the package where entering of data and calculations are
handled. It consists of rows, columns, cells and a cell pointer where data
are actually entered and manipulated.
7. Workbook: This can be simply defined as a collection of worksheets.
Each workbook contains many worksheets just like a normal single book
with a number of pages.
8. Chart: A Chart is a graphical representation of data that enables you to
understand the data at a glance. Examples of Charts include Column
(histogram), Pie chart, Bar Chart, Line Chart, etc.
9. Data Range: A group of highlighted cells in a worksheet is referred to as
a Range.
10.Formula: A formula is a spreadsheet data type that will calculate a result
and display it in the active cell.
BASIC OPERATIONS IN EXCEL
DATA ENTRY
This is the process of inputting data into the cells of the worksheet. There are
three types of data that can be entered into an excel worksheet. These are
Labels, Numbers and Formula.
EDITING WORKSHEET
This is the process of customizing the worksheet so that it could ne neatly
arranged on the pages when printing. Check spelling, preview layout, page
setup and sheet setting, etc are parts of the editing process. The editing
process gives the worksheet a befitting look.
SAVING A WORKSHEET
This can easily be done using Save As found on the file menu or by pressing Ctrl
+S keys simultaneously. A dialog box appears on your screen asking for the file
name to be used and the location to save into.
RETRIEVING OR OPENING WORKSHEET
To retrieve or open a worksheet, click on office button on the menu and click
on Open button form the file sub-menu or by pressing Ctrl + O keys together. A
dialog box will be displayed asking you to choose the worksheet to be opened
or retrieve.
ADDING FORMULAE AND PERFORMING CALCULATIONS
To tell the spreadsheet package that you will be entering a formula, you must
start the formula with a particular symbol. Excel uses the sign =. The operators
used in spreadsheet formulae include: Addition +, subtraction -, division /,
multiplication *, exponential ^.
PRINTING WORKSHEET
Printing a worksheet is not much different from printing a word processing
document. To Print a worksheet Click on office button, select print from the
menu or by pressing ctrl + P keys simultaneously.
CREATING GRAPHS
MS Excel gives options of creating charts from data entries in your
spreadsheets. Charts like line graph, histogram, pie charts and bar charts could
be created from the supplied data basically numeric data.
FEATURES OF MS EXCEL
1. Status bar: The Status Bar is the area at the very bottom in Excel, which
displays various information about an Excel worksheet.
2. Menu bar: The menu bar displays all of the menus available for use in
Excel. The Menu bar is directly below the Title bar
3. Formular bar: The formula bar displays information entered—or being
entered as you type—in the current or active cell. The contents of a cell
can also be edited in the formula bar.
ASSIGNMENT
1. State eight uses of a spreadsheet