Spreadsheets Application I SS1 Digital Technologies Lesson Note

Subject: Digital Technologies 

Class: SS1

Introduction to Spreadsheets

Imagine a giant sheet of paper divided into thousands of little boxes. In the old days, accountants used “ledger books” like this to keep track of money. A Spreadsheet is simply the electronic version of that paper.

Definition: A spreadsheet is a computer application used to organize, analyze, and store data in a table (rows and columns).

Common Examples:

• Microsoft Excel: The most popular one used in offices.
• Google Sheets: A free version that lives online.
• LibreOffice Calc: A great free alternative for computers.

Why do we use them instead of a calculator?

If you use a calculator to add 100 numbers and you make a mistake on the 5th number, you have to start all over. In a spreadsheet, you just fix the 5th number and the total automatically updates. It “remembers” the math for you.

The Language of the Grid

To use a spreadsheet, you need to know how to find your way around the “map.”

1. Columns: These run vertically (up and down) and are labeled with Letters (A, B, C…).
2. Rows: These run horizontally (left to right) and are labeled with Numbers (1, 2, 3…).
3. Cell: This is the magic box where a Row and a Column meet.
4. Cell Address (Reference): Every cell has a “name” based on its Column and Row. For example, the very first box is A1.

Key Rule: Always say the Letter first, then the Number. It’s B5, never 5B!

Entering Data and Basic Math

A spreadsheet can hold three types of information:

• Labels: Text (like “Student Name” or “Total”).
• Values: Numbers (like 50 or 1000).
• Formulas: The math instructions.

The Golden Rule of Formulas

In a spreadsheet, if you want to do math, you MUST start with an Equal Sign (=). Without it, the computer thinks you are just typing a label.

Basic Operators:

Cell Referencing (Relative)

The “Secret Sauce” of spreadsheets is that we don’t usually add the numbers themselves; we add the Cells that hold them.

Relative Referencing (The Default)

If you type =A1+B1 in cell C1 and then use the “Fill Handle” (the little green square at the corner) to drag that formula down to C2, the spreadsheet is smart. It changes the formula to =A2+B2.

It assumes that if you moved down one row, you want to add the numbers in that new row too. This is called Relative Referencing because the “address” changes relative to where you move.

Absolute Cell Referencing (Locking It)

Sometimes, you don’t want the cell address to change when you copy a formula. Imagine you have a list of prices and you want to multiply them all by a Single Tax Rate stored in cell E1.

If you drag the formula down, the computer will try to use E2, E3, E4… but those cells are empty!

To “lock” a cell so it never changes, we use the Dollar Sign ($). This is called Absolute Referencing.

• A1 is Relative (it changes).
• A1 is Absolute (it is locked).

Summary Example:

If you want to multiply everything by the tax in E1, your formula would look like this: =A1 * $E$1

Now, when you drag it down, the A1 will change to A2, A3, etc., but the $E$1 will stay exactly the same.

Review Questions

1. What is the difference between a Workbook (the whole file) and a Worksheet (the single page)?
2. Why must every formula start with an = sign?
3. If a cell is in Column D and Row 10, what is its Cell Address?
4. When would you use a $ sign in a formula?