| A formula calculates values to return a result. All formulas begin with the equal sign (=) followed by arguments ”values (such as 147 or $10.00) and cell references (such as B3:F20) ”connected by arithmetic operators (+, -, *, and /). You enter and edit formulas just as you do labels and values ”in the formula bar or in the cell. By default, Excel displays the results of the formula in a cell , but you can change your view of the worksheet to display formulas instead of results. Enter a Formula -
| | Click a cell where you want to enter a formula. | -
| | Type an equal sign (=) to begin the formula. If you do not begin a formula with an equal sign, Excel displays the information you type; it does not perform the calculation. | -
Enter the first argument (a number or a cell reference). If the argument is a cell reference, type the cell reference, or click the cell. If the formula can accept cell references, the cursor changes to a light gray cell-like shape. -
| | Enter an arithmetic operator. | -
-
| | Repeat steps 4 and 5 to complete the formula. | -
Click the Enter button on the formula bar, or press Enter. The cell displays the formula result, and the formula bar displays the formula. Did You Know? You can select a cell to enter its address . To avoid careless typing mistakes, click a cell to insert its cell reference in a formula rather than typing its address. | For Your Information Understanding Order of Precedence Formulas containing more than one operator follow the order of precedence: exponentiation, multiplication and division, and then addition and subtraction. So, in the formula 5 + 2 * 3, Excel performs multiplication first and addition next for a result of 11. Excel calculates operations within parentheses first. The result of the formula (5 + 2) * 3 is 21. | |