Use Spreadsheets for Math and Budgeting

A spreadsheet is a digital tool made up of a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns. It can store data, perform calculations automatically, and help you organize information. Spreadsheets are used in schools, businesses, and homes for tasks like budgeting, grading, and tracking information.

How a Spreadsheet is Organized

• Columns — run vertically and are labeled with letters: A, B, C, ...
• Rows — run horizontally and are labeled with numbers: 1, 2, 3, ...
• Cells — each box in the grid. A cell is named by its column letter and row number (e.g. B3, C5).
• Formula bar — the bar at the top where you type formulas or data for the selected cell.

Basic Formulas

• =SUM(A1:A5) — adds all the values from cell A1 to cell A5.
• =AVERAGE(B1:B4) — calculates the mean of the values from B1 to B4.
• =MAX(C1:C6) — finds the highest value in the range C1 to C6.
• =B2-B3 — subtracts the value in B3 from the value in B2.
• All formulas start with = (equals sign). Without it, the cell shows text, not a result.

Using a Spreadsheet for Budgeting

• List all your income (money coming in) in one column.
• List all your expenses (money going out) in another column.
• Use =SUM to total each column.
• Use subtraction (=income - expenses) to find out if you have money left over or have overspent.