Covering Letter (Sample)

Tutorial 1

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

• create a spreadsheet
• save your work
• use a formula
• format values
• format font, font size, style and colour
• change column width

What is the structure of a spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet organises information in columns and rows. Columns are identified as letters. Rows are identified as numbers. Cells are identified as the rectangle formed by the intersection of a column and a row.

Each cell has a name consisting of a letter and a number that combine to identify the coordinates of the cell on the spreadsheet. This is called the cell address. This address is important as it indicates where the information needed to perform a desired calculation is stored.

The cell address and the formula (fx) is shown in the formula bar. As each cell is selected, the cell address will change to reflect the current cell selected.

The cell reference D6 is identified in the top left hand corner. The formula (fx) section of the formula bar is found next to the cell reference.

Here the cell reference is C8.

1. OpenMicrosoft Excelto create a new file.

1. Select cell A1 and type the heading for the table “Personal shopping list” Don’t worry if it extends past the cell or disappears it can be fixed later.
2. Select cell A3 and type the heading “Items”. Select cell B3 and type the heading “Quantity”. Repeat this for the other two headings as shown in the table for entering data in cell C3 and D3 respectively. All the text may not be visible but this can be fixed later.
3. Enter the names of all the ten shopping items (in table shown in participant task) under items heading in column A.
4. Enter the quantity information for each of the items in column B.
5. Enter the cost of each of the items in column D.

1. Enter the label “Grand Total” in C14.

Note that text or labels align at the left edge of the cells and numeric values align at the right edge of the cells.

Saving your work

1. Select file then Save As from the menu bar. This option is only used the first time you save a document.

1. A new dialogue box will open. Select the location to store/save the file. This may be the 3½ inch Floppy (A:) drive, My Documents or another location on the network specified by your computer co-ordinator.

1. Select the file name textbox and type a name for your file. The name of the file should be unambiguous and follow your naming convention format. The naming convention used in the example is filename_surname_year.
2. Select Save.

1. The title bar now shows the name of the file.

1. Continue to save your work every five minutes by selecting File then Save or selecting the disk icon on the standard toolbar.

Using a formula to calculate the total

Before beginning to use a spreadsheet for calculations, you need some information on the language of MS Excel,so that your formulacan be read by a computer. See the table below.

1. Select cell D4 where you wish to display the total of 2 litres of milk. You are going to multiply the Quantity by the Cost. That means multiply (*) the content of cell B4 by the content of cell C4. A spreadsheet uses an asterisk to record multiplication.

1. Type the formula =B4*C4. A formula always starts with an equal sign (=).Press Enter or Return.

1. The answer will appear in cell D4.

1. You can now apply the same formula to each of the cells.
2. Select the cell where the formula is, for example, D4. Hold the mouse button down and drag slowly over the numbers. Each cell will become

highlighted as you drag down. Although the first cell does not appear highlighted, it is still selected.

1. Select EditFillDown. The formula will apply to each cell in the column.

1. To establish the Grand total you will need to use a different formula. The calculation for this requires summing all the cells from D4 to D13.

1. Select cell D14 where the Grand total (a total of all items purchased) will appear and type =SUM(D4:D13). Press Enter or Return

The Grand totalwill be calculated.

If you change some of the costs or number, the totals will automatically be recalculated.

Formatting values

For your shopping list, you may want to change some of the cells to represent dollars ($).

1. Select cell C4.

1. Hold the mouse button down and drag slowly over the numbers.

1. Each cell will become highlighted as you drag down. Although the first cell will not appear highlighted, it is still selected.
2. Once you have highlighted a column, move the mouse pointer to the Format menu option at the top of the screen and click on it.

1. Select Format Cells. The formatting window will open.
2. From the new menu that appears, select Number, then Currency.

1. Click on OK to change the entries to dollar values and return to the spreadsheet.

Formatting font, font size, style and colour

1. Select the range of cells D4 to D13.

1. From the main menu bar, select Format Cells.

1. From the new menu that appears, select Font. The formatting window will open.

1. To change the font, click on the new font from the fonts available in the Font window.
2. To change the size of the font, select the new size by clicking on the new size required. Remember, the larger the number, the larger the font size.
3. To change the font colour, click on the small drop-down arrow below Colour. The colour palette will open on screen.
4. Click on the new colour required.
5. Select OK to return to the spreadsheet.

Changing the width of a column

1. Place the cursor directly over the line separating A column from B column. The cursor will change to a cross indicating you can adjust the width.

1. Hold down the mouse button and move the cursor to the right. The width of the column will be increased. The same method will increase the width of rows.

Finding lost formula bar

1. Sometimes your students may open a version of MS Excel where the formula bar is not visible.

1. To find it, click on the View menu and select Formula bar. This will place a tick in the box near the words Formula bar. (If you can't see Formula bar you may have to pull down more of the View menu using the arrows at the bottom of the menu).