NC State Computing Services

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows 95


More About Using Functions


Excel provides many built-in functions to assist you in analyzing data. These functions are easily accessible via the button on the toolbar. We will demonstrate the use of functions with the following practice.

Using Functions to Analyze Data

Let's say that we want to determine some statistical information about our TA and RA salaries. Enter the following into the practice worksheet:

Cell Enter
P2 Individual Average Salary
A14 Overall Average Salary
A15 Maximum Salary
A16 Minimum Salary

Highlight Cell P3. click on the function key in the toolbar. A dialog box will appear, which displays categories of functions on the left and specific functions on the right. Place the mouse pointer into the left-side box and highlight Statistical. Now scroll down the right hand side to find the appropriate function. Select AVERAGE. Then click OK.

A second argument box will appear with the default arguments C3:03. These default arguments are not exactly correct, so we need to change the arguments. Click on the small button with a red arrow located to the right of the data entry cell. This will cause your worksheet to be displayed on top so that you can see the cells. Left click on Cell C3, then drag right through Cell N3 to correct the arguments in the data entry cell. They should now read C3:N3. Press enter, then OK.

Copy the formula from Cell P3 to Cells (P4:P10). This gives us the average annual salary for EACH individual. To calculate the overall average salary, move to Cell B14 and highlight it. Click on the function key, choose Statistical and then AVERAGE. This time when the argument box appears, view the datasheet and highlight cells C3:N10. Press enter, then OK.

Highlight Cell B15. Click fx. Choose Statistical from the function category window, then MAX from the function name window. Since we want the maximum of ALL salaries, highlight cells C3:N10 and press Enter, then OK.

Highlight Cell B16. Click fx. Choose Statistical from the function category window, then MIN from the function name window. Since we want the minimum of ALL salaries, highlight cells C3:N10 and press Enter, then OK.


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