Formulas with Cells
Part of the Fundamentals section of Coddy's Excel journey — lesson 13 of 42.
The real power of a spreadsheet is that formulas can use other cells. Instead of typing =4+3, you point at the cells that hold the numbers:
=A1+A2This formula means: take whatever is in A1, add whatever is in A2. The formula doesn't care what those values are today, if the data changes, the result updates by itself. That's why accountants stopped using paper.
You can mix cells and numbers freely:
=A1*2
=B3+10
=A1+A2+A3One thing to remember: a formula lives in a cell like any other value. If you put =A1+A2 in B1, then B1 shows the result, but behind the scenes it still holds the formula.
Challenge
BeginnerThe sheet holds two numbers: one in A1 and one in A2.
Write formulas that use the cell references (not the numbers themselves!):
- In
B1: the sum of A1 and A2 - In
B2: the value of A1 multiplied by 2
Your formulas will be tested with different numbers in A1 and A2, that's why referencing the cells matters.
Try it yourself
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Test yourselfThis lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.
All lessons in Fundamentals
1Meet the Spreadsheet
What Is a Spreadsheet?Cells and ReferencesYour First CellsRows, Columns and the GridRecap: Meet the Grid2Entering Data
Text and NumbersBuilding a Small TableEditing and Clearing CellsNumbers That Mean SomethingRecap: Entering Data3Your First Formula
What Is a Formula?Writing a FormulaFormulas with CellsArithmetic OperatorsOrder of OperationsRecap: First Formulas