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Spreadsheets

Aims:

This module is designed to teach techniques of data manipulation and display using a spreadsheet package. 

Objective:

After successful completion of COMP1900, students should be able to design, create and use spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel.

Proposed Syllabus

Electronic spreadsheets Advantages - size (65536 x 256 cells), accuracy, automatic re-calculation
Uses - personal expenses, student marks, running a business, "what-if" analysis
History - Visicalc created by Daniel Bricklin in 1978
Introducing Excel Workbooks and Worksheets (= Spreadsheets) - inserting, naming, and deleting worksheets
An example workbook
Cells and their addresses (eg cell D21)
Adjusting the size of rows and columns; inserting / deleting rows and columns
Cell contents - labels (text), values (numbers), formulas (for calculating values) - role of the "=" sign
Cell Ranges and their addresses (eg E18:H22)
Selecting, moving, and copying cell ranges - effect of the control and option keys
Moving around a spreadsheet - arrow keys - effect of the control and option keys; GoTo... (under Edit)
Searching for specific data - Find and Replace (under Edit)
AutoFill - entering data and label series
Series... (under Edit/Fill)
Custom Lists (under Edit/Preferences...)
Visual enhancement - the Formatting Palette (under View)
Comments - attaching a comment to a cell, formatting a comment
Calculations - example formulas using + - * /.    The Formula Bar - the Calculator
Some useful standard functions: average(), count(), countif(), if(), max(), min(), product(), sqrt(), sum(), today()
Copying formulas - relative and absolute cell references
Sorting data - sorting a table by columns
Printing a worksheet - selective printing using a print area
Data validation - validating input data; error messages
Getting help - the Help Index
Using charts Column, Bar, and Line charts
Pie charts
Scatter diagrams
Making a chart - using the Chart Wizard
Enhancing a chart's appearance
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URL: http://computer/student/comp1900/modules/Module3_Spreadsheets.shtml
Last modified: Friday, 07-Feb-2003 12:50:26 EST