Excel is one of the most used software in the world, especially for business and office work. Learning Excel is a necessity for anyone who deals with numbers and data. To fully utilize this software, one must understand the basic functions and formulas. In this article, we will discuss and learn how to create formulas in Excel, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Adding in Excel
Adding in Excel is one of the easiest and most basic functions that you can do. From simple addition like 2 + 2 to adding a large range of cells, Excel can do it all. Here are the steps to make a simple addition in Excel:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the sum.
2. Enter the formula = E2+F2 (for example, E2 and F2 are the cells that you want to add up).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the sum answer in your chosen cell.
Adding a Large Range of Cells
If you want to add a large range of cells, you don’t need to add them one by one. Instead, you can use the Sum function. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the sum.
2. Type =SUM(A1:A4) (for example, A1 to A4 is a large range of cells that you want to add up).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the sum answer in your chosen cell.
Subtracting in Excel
Subtracting in Excel is also very simple. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the subtraction.
2. Enter the formula = E2-F2 (for example, E2 is the first number and F2 is the second number).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
Subtracting a Large Range of Cells
If you want to subtract a large range of cells, you can use the Sum and Product functions. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the subtraction.
2. Type =SUM(A1:A4)-PRODUCT(B1:B4) (for example, A1 to A4 is a large range of cells that you want to subtract, and B1 to B4 is another range of cells that you want to multiply and then subtract).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
Multiplying in Excel
Multiplying in Excel follows a similar process to adding and subtracting. Here are the steps to multiply in Excel:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the multiplication.
2. Enter the formula =E2*F2 (for example, E2 is the first number and F2 is the second number).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
Multiplying a Large Range of Cells
To multiply a large range of cells, you can use the PRODUCT function. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the multiplication.
2. Type =PRODUCT(A1:A4) (for example, A1 to A4 is a large range of cells that you want to multiply).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
Dividing in Excel
Dividing in Excel is also very easy. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the division.
2. Enter the formula =E2/F2 (for example, E2 is the first number and F2 is the second number).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
Dividing a Large Range of Cells
To divide a large range of cells, you can use the QUOTIENT function. Here are the steps:
1. Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the division.
2. Type =QUOTIENT(A1,A2) (for example, A1 is the numerator and A2 is the denominator).
3. Press Enter on your keyboard to get the answer in your chosen cell.
FAQs
1. What is the order of operations in Excel?
Like in math, Excel follows a certain order of operations. Here is the order of operations in Excel:
1. Parentheses ()
2. Exponents (^)
3. Multiplication (*) and Division (/)
4. Addition (+) and Subtraction (-)
If there are parentheses, you must perform the operations inside them first. If there are exponents, you must perform them second, followed by multiplication and then division. Finally, you can perform addition and subtraction.
2. What are some useful functions in Excel?
Excel has many useful functions that can save you time and make your work easier. Here are some of the useful functions in Excel:
IF Function: This function allows you to test a condition and return one value if the condition is true and another value if the condition is false.
VLOOKUP Function: This function allows you to find a value within a range of cells and return a corresponding value from another column in the same row.
COUNT Function: This function allows you to count the number of cells that contain numbers or values within a range of cells.
AVERAGE Function: This function allows you to calculate the average of a range of cells.
Video Tutorial
For a more in-depth tutorial on creating formulas in Excel, check out this video: