Quick summary
MS Excel is spreadsheet software. You enter data in a table of rows and columns and Excel does the calculations for you – for example marksheets, salaries or household accounts. Formulas (सूत्रे) and functions are Excel's biggest strength. An Excel file is saved with the .xlsx extension.
Key points
- An Excel file is a workbook; it contains one or more worksheets.
- Rows are numbered (1, 2, 3...) and columns are lettered (A, B, C...).
- The box where a row and a column meet is a cell.
- A cell address is column + row, for example B3 = column B, row 3.
- The cell selected right now is the active cell.
- A group of cells is a range, for example A1:A10.
- The Name Box shows the active cell's address; the Formula Bar shows the formula inside a cell.
- Every formula starts with the = sign.
- Alt + = inserts AutoSum.
- The F4 key changes a relative reference into an absolute one, such as $A$1.
Formulas and functions
Operators
| Sign | Meaning | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| + | Add | =10+5 | 15 |
| - | Subtract | =10-5 | 5 |
| * | Multiply | =10*5 | 50 |
| / | Divide | =10/5 | 2 |
| ^ | Power | =2^3 | 8 |
Excel follows the BODMAS order: brackets first, then powers, then multiply/divide, then add/subtract. So =2+3*4 gives 14, but =(2+3)*4 gives 20.
Main functions
| Function | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| SUM | Adds numbers | =SUM(B2:D2) |
| AVERAGE | Finds the average | =AVERAGE(B2:D2) |
| MAX | Largest number | =MAX(E2:E5) |
| MIN | Smallest number | =MIN(E2:E5) |
| COUNT | Counts cells that contain numbers | =COUNT(B2:B5) |
| COUNTA | Counts all cells that are not empty | =COUNTA(A1:A5) |
| IF | Gives one of two answers based on a condition | =IF(B2>=35,"Pass","Fail") |
| ROUND | Rounds a number to given decimal places | =ROUND(3.14159,2) → 3.14 |
| TODAY | Today's date | =TODAY() |
Worked example: a small marksheet
Type =SUM(B2:D2) in E2, =AVERAGE(B2:D2) in F2 and =IF(F2>=35,"Pass","Fail") in G2. Then drag the Fill Handle (the small square at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell) down, and the formulas fill the other rows. Rule used in this example: average 35 or more = Pass.
| Name (A) | Marathi (B) | Maths (C) | Science (D) | Total (E) | Average (F) | Result (G) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asha | 72 | 85 | 65 | 222 | 74 | Pass |
| Rahul | 40 | 30 | 35 | 105 | 35 | Pass |
| Sneha | 90 | 78 | 84 | 252 | 84 | Pass |
| Omkar | 20 | 35 | 26 | 81 | 27 | Fail |
- =MAX(E2:E5) → 252 and =MIN(E2:E5) → 81.
- =COUNT(B2:B5) → 4 and =COUNTA(A1:A5) → 5 (the heading is counted too).
- Rahul's average is exactly 35; the condition is ">=", so he passes.
Other important points
- Relative vs absolute reference: when you copy a formula, an address like A1 changes (relative). An address like $A$1 does not change (absolute).
- Sort and Filter: on the Data tab. Sort puts data in ascending or descending order; Filter shows only the rows you want.
- Charts: from the Insert tab – Column, Bar, Pie (for shares of a whole), Line (for change over time).
Common errors
| Error | Reason |
|---|---|
| #DIV/0! | Dividing by zero |
| #NAME? | Wrong function name, for example =SUMM(A1:A3) |
| #VALUE! | Wrong type of data, for example adding a number to text |
| #### | Column too narrow to show the number |
Important terms
- Cell – the box where a row and a column meet.
- Range – a block of cells, for example B2:D2.
- Formula Bar – the bar that shows a cell's formula.
- Function – a ready-made formula in Excel, for example SUM.
- Fill Handle – the small square used to drag a formula or data onward.
- Absolute reference – an address with $ signs that does not change.
Practice questions (with answers)
Q1. Every Excel formula starts with which sign?
- (A) #
- (B) =
- (C) $
- (D) @
Q2. What is the result of =2+3*4?
- (A) 20
- (B) 24
- (C) 14
- (D) 9
Q3. Which is an absolute reference?
- (A) $A$1
- (B) A1
- (C) A:1
- (D) #A1
Q4. Which error appears when you divide by zero?
- (A) #NAME?
- (B) ####
- (C) #VALUE!
- (D) #DIV/0!
Q5. What is the shortcut for AutoSum?
- (A) Ctrl + S
- (B) Alt + =
- (C) Shift + S
- (D) F7
Exam tip
Learn the structure of IF, one BODMAS example and the meaning of #DIV/0!, #NAME? and #### – these come up in almost every test.