Describe how spreadsheets like the one in the accompanying figure function and are organized. Define the following terms and concepts in your response: cell, value, formula, function, recalculation, and charting.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Student responses will vary, but should be drawn from the following information from the text.

Spreadsheet software is an application that allows users to organize data in rows and columns and perform calculations on the data. These rows and columns collectively are called a worksheet. Most spreadsheet software has basic features to help users create, edit, and format worksheets. A spreadsheet file is similar to a spiral notebook that can contain thousands of related individual worksheets. Data is organized vertically in columns and horizontally in rows on each worksheet.

Each worksheet usually can have thousands of columns and rows. One or more letters identify each column, and a number identifies each row. Only a small fraction of these columns and rows are visible on the screen at one time. Scrolling through the worksheet displays different parts of it on the screen.

A cell is the intersection of a column and row. The spreadsheet software identifies cells by the column and row in which they are located. For example, the intersection of column B and row 4 is referred to as cell B4.

Many of the worksheet cells contain a number, called a value, that can be used in a calculation. Other cells, however, contain formulas that generate values. A formula performs calculations on the data in the worksheet and displays the resulting value in a cell, usually the cell containing the formula. When creating a worksheet, you can enter your own formulas.

A function is a predefined formula that performs common calculations such as adding the values in a group of cells or generating a value such as the time or date. For example, the function =SUM(B9:B16) instructs the spreadsheet application to add all of the numbers in the range of cells B9 through B16. Spreadsheet applications contain many built-in functions.

One of the more powerful features of spreadsheet software is its capability of recalculating the rest of the worksheet when data in a worksheet changes. Spreadsheet software's capability of recalculating data also makes it a valuable budgeting, forecasting, and decision-making tool. Another standard feature of spreadsheet software is charting, which depicts the data in graphical form, such as bar charts or pie charts. A visual representation of data through charts often makes it easier for users to see at a glance the relationship among the numbers.