Definitions

Workbook

Worksheet

Cell

Columns and rows

Formula

Function

Array/Range
 Explanations
The workbook refers to an Excel spreadsheet file. A workbook

You will find worksheets inside a workbook. Tabs at the botto

add more worksheets. It will also indicate which worksheet yo

A cell is a single block on a worksheet. Each cell has a name w

corner next to the formula bar. The name will depend on wha

Column are aligned vertically (up and down) while rows are a

A sequence inside a cell that is used to produce a value (+ - *

sign.
Functions are formulas that are pre-built into Excel (SUM, MIN
designed to help simplify a complex problem. It must begin w
A collection of cells that have been selected.
Operator symbol Operation performed
= Equals to
> Greater/Bigger than
< Less/Smaller than
>= Greater than or equals to
<= Less than or equals to
<> Not equals to
 SMALL
Returns the k-th smallest value in a
data set.
E.G. 2nd smallest, 3rd smallest, 4th
smallest
Data set/ Range
250
300
15
150
50
75
2nd smallest 50 =SMALL(B4:B9,2)
3rd smallest 75 =SMALL(B4:B9,3)
4th smallest 150 =SMALL(B4:B9,4)

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Data set/ Range
75
125
5
12
189
50
23
100
2nd smallest 12
5th smallest 75
7th smallest 125
 MIN vs SMALL

Min is the lowest

whereas with small
you can make a choice.
 LARGE
Returns the k-th largest value in a data
set.
E.G. 2nd largest, 3rd largest, 4th
largest
Data set/ Range
250
300
15
150
50
75
2nd largest 250 =LARGE(B4:B9,2)
3rd largest 150 =LARGE(B4:B9,3)
4th largest 75 =LARGE(B4:B9,4)

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Data set/ Range
75
125
5
12
189
50
23
100
2nd largest ?
5th largest ?
7th largest ?
 MAX vs LARGE

Max is the highest

whereas with large you
can make a choice.
 COUNT COUNTA
The COUNT function counts the number
of cells that contain numbers, and counts The COUNTA function counts
numbers within the list of number of cells that are not em
arguments/range. in a range (text and number

Data set/ Range

123
123A
ABCD
456
B456
How many cells 2 =COUNT(B4:B8)
contain numbers?
How many cells 5 =COUNTA(B4:B8)
contain text?
How many cells
contain text and 5 =COUNTA(B4:B8)
numbers?

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Student name Class group Amount brought in
Sally N4 R 75.00
Emma N5 R 400.00
Jackson N4
Chad N6 R 165.00

How many students ?

took part in the raffle?
How many students ?
brought money in?
 COUNTA
NTA function counts the
cells that are not empty
e (text and numbers).
 COUNTBLANK
Counts the number of blank cells (empty
cells) within a range.

Data set/ Range

123

ABC

A123
123B
How many blank
2 =COUNTBLANK(B4:B9)
cells?

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Student name Class group Amount brought in
Sally N4 R 75.00
Emma N5 R 400.00
Jackson N4
Chad N6 R 165.00

How many students 1

did not bring in any
money?
 COUNTIF
Counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given
criteria.
Data set/ Range 1 Data set/ Range 2
Female Blue
Male Green
Female Brown
Female Blue
Male Green

How many females

are listed in data set 3
1?

How many blue eyes

are listed in data set 2
2?

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Student name Class group Amount brought in
Sally N4 R 75.00
Emma N5 R 400.00
Jackson N4
Chad N6 R 165.00
How many N4
students took part in 2
the raffle?

How many students

brought in more than 2
R100?
=COUNTIF(B4:B8,"female")

=COUNTIF(C4:C8,"blue")
 SUMIF
Adds the cells specified by a given criteria.
Example 1:
Gender Student
Female 1
Female 2
Male 3
Female 4
Male 5

How much money do 1520

all the female students
have in savings?

Example 2:
Product Cost
Fruit R 7.50
Vegetable R 22.75
Dairy R 15.50
Fruit R 11.99
Meat R 40.99
Fruit R 13.80

How much would it R 33.29

cost to buy only Fruit?

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Student name Class group Amount
brought in
Sally N4 R 75.00
Emma N5 R 400.00
Jackson N4 R 700.00
Chad N6 R 165.00
How much money did
the N4's bring in? 775
MIF
d by a given criteria.

Amount in savings
R 1,200.00
R 120.00
R 4,500.00
R 200.00
R 2,500.00

=SUMIF(B5:B9,"female",D5:D9)

=SUMIF(B14:B19,"fruit",C14:C19)
 IF

Specifies a logical test to perform. It allows you to make logical comparisons

between a value and what you expect.
So an IF statement can have two results. The first result is if your comparison is
True, the second if your comparison is False.
For example, =IF(C2=”Yes”,1,2) says IF(C2 = Yes, then return a 1, otherwise
return a 2).

Example 1: The college is having a function for all the females to celebrate Womans Day.
Using the gender in Colunmn B, use an IF function to display who qualfies to go to the function.

Male or Function
Staff member
female Yes/No
James Male No
Kelly Female Yes
Reece Male No
Kyla Female Yes
Lezaan Female Yes
Keagan Male No

Example 2: The sales rep needs to sell a minimum of 10 or more cars in order to qualify for
the bonus. Using the amount in Column B, use an IF function to display whether or not they
qualify for the bonus.

Amount of Bonus
Sales rep cars sold Yes/No
John 12 Yes
Sipho 9 No
Stacy 10 Yes
Bianca 7 No

TRY IT YOURSELF!
 Activity 1: If the actual amount is bigger than the budgeted amount then display "Over
budget", otherwise display "Within budget".
Budgeted Actual Status
700 1200 Within budget
450 400 Over budget
1200 2000 Within budget
500 505 Within budget

Activity 2: If the sales figure of a salesman are more than a thousand rand, commission will
be earned. Display "Yes" if the salesmans figures are above a thousand rand, otherwise display
"No". (Part 1)
Using the answer calculated Column C (Commission Yes/No), calculate the Commission
amount for those salesmen whose sales figures are above R1000. If the sales figures are bigger
than R1000, then 10% commission is calculated. (Part 2)

Salesman Sales figures Commission Yes/No

Andrews 900 No
Bongo 1200 Yes
Crous 690 No
Douw 1050 Yes
 s you to make logical comparisons
hat you expect.
e first result is if your comparison is
omparison is False.
= Yes, then return a 1, otherwise
).

all the females to celebrate Womans Day.

display who qualfies to go to the function.

=IF(B5="Female","Yes","No")
=IF(B6="Female","Yes","No")
=IF(B7="Female","Yes","No")
=IF(B8="Female","Yes","No")
=IF(B9="Female","Yes","No")
=IF(B10="Female","Yes","No")

m of 10 or more cars in order to qualify for

F function to display whether or not they
bonus.

=IF(B12>=10,"Yes","No")
=IF(B13>=10,"Yes","No")
=IF(B14>=10,"Yes","No")
=IF(B15>=10,"Yes","No")

SELF!
he budgeted amount then display "Over
"Within budget".

ore than a thousand rand, commission will

above a thousand rand, otherwise display
1)
sion Yes/No), calculate the Commission
above R1000. If the sales figures are bigger
n is calculated. (Part 2)

Commission amount

120

105
 POWER
Returns the result of a number raised to a
power.
EXAMPLE FORMULA
25 =POWER(5,2)
2401077.22206958 =POWER(98.6,3.2)
5.65685424949238 =POWER(4,5/4)

TRY IT YOURSELF!
10 to the power of 2 ?
 RAND
Returns a random number
between 0 and 1.
EXAMPLE FORMULA
0.649628663058472 =RAND()
0.781928951505798 =RAND()

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Display a random
number between 0 0.6637950491
and 1.
 RANDBETWEEN
Returns a random number between the
numbers you specify. A new random integer
number is returned every time the worksheet
is calculated.

EXAMPLE FORMULA

2 =RANDBETWEEN(1,10)

139 =RANDBETWEEN(100,200)

21 =RANDBETWEEN(7,70)

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Random number
between 50 and 71
75.
Random number 6
between 2 and 8.
 The RANDBETWEEN function syntax
has the following arguments:

Bottom = Required. The smallest integer

RANDBETWEEN will return.

Displays a random number Top = Required. The largest integer

between 1 and 10. RANDBETWEEN will return.

Displays a random number

between 100 and 200.
Displays a random number
between 7 and 70.
 ROUND
Rounds a number to a specified number of digits
Number Rounded number
23.7825 23.78 Rounds to 2 decimal places
25.512 25.5 Rounds to 1 decimal place
121.33 121 Rounds to 0 decimal places

TRY IT YOURSELF!
Round to an
integer (whole 123.78 124
number)
Round to 2 decimal
places 68.7895 68.79

Combination of functions
First calculate the average of cells A14:A15 and then use the round
function to round it off to no decimals.
123.456
12313132.26
6156628 =ROUND(AVERAGE(A14:A15),0)
6156627.858
6156628
 TODAY NOW

Returns the serial number of the

Returns the serial number of the current date and current time.
current date. i.e. displays todays date and
i.e. displays todays date (the date time (the date and time will
will change when you open the change when you open the
workbook on a different date). workbook at a different time or
a different date).

1/29/2024 =today() 1/29/2024 15:05

 NOW

e serial number of the

ate and current time.
ays todays date and
e date and time will
when you open the
at a different time or
ifferent date).

=now()
 UPPER LOWER

Converts text to uppercase. Converts text to lowercase.

NAME =UPPER("name") name =LOWER("name")

NAME =UPPER(D3) name =LOWER(A3)
 MODE
Returns the most frequently occuring number in a
range/data set.
Data set/ Range
5
10
5
15
23
7
9
What number in the
range appears the 5 =MODE(B4:B10)
most often?
 QUOTIENT

Returns the integer portion of division without the remainder

(decimal)
e.g. 5 / 2 = 2.5
but with QUOTIENT function, the remainder (decimal) is left
out.

= 5 / 2 (using the quotient function) 2 =QUOTIENT(5,2)