Simple Calculations
When doing calculations on a spreadsheet you need to use a formula. You might be able to do the calculation in your head and write the answer but don’t, at some point you will make a mistake, but also if the numbers change your answer you just typed in won't. Numbers are changed all the time on spreadsheets - that "easy to edit" is one of the main reasons they are used.
Formulas are the way we tell a spreadsheet to do maths.
Every formula, no matter how complex, will always start with an =
Formula are written using cell references, not the data in the cells. An example would be =a1+b2. This formula will add whatever is in cells a1 and b2.
Watch the video to see exactly how to do this.
Want to practice? Here are some sums to try and here's another set (use a calculator to check your answers ). Make sure you use cell references in your formulas and are just typing in the numbers. When you are confident you can do simple calculations, move onto Basic Formatting