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CIS 151 Excel For I.T.

Excel Tutorial 3 - Working with Formulas and Functions

This tutorial is excellent.  It introduces you to some of the most common functions and the differences between relative, absolute, and mixed cell references.  You will notice in this tutorial and future tutorials that the authors do not tell you every little step if it has been covered in a previous tutorial.  This approach reduces the details in the step and concentrates on the new skills.  Also, it kind of "tests" you to see if you remember the previous material.  Practice makes permanent.  So if you practice commands/new skills then you will remember them.  We are all human and we cannot remember everything.  If you cannot remember a previous command/skill, then you can look them up in the back of your book.  Start with the Task References beginning on page REF 15.  If you cannot find it there, then look it up in the Glossary/Index starting on page REF1.  And, finally if you cannot find it in the Glossary/Index, then go back to a previous tutorial.  The detailed Table of Contents is also helpful when looking for a command/skill.

Please read all of the directions before getting started on the assignment.

  1. Please note:  Throughout the book it will instruct you to save your files.  In the computer labs on campus you will need to save the files to your USB drive.  If you are using your own computer, then you may save the file to the drive of your choice (hard drive, USB, etc.).
  2. Data file notes:  In order to do this assignment you will need a set of files.  The files are in TalonNet on the Resources page in the Data Files folder.  The data file links are .zip files (compressed set of files).  You will need to download and unzip (uncompress) the files before using them.  Right-click the file link to get the shortcut menu.  Select the Save Target As option and save the file to your drive.  You will then need to unzip (uncompress) the .zip file.  If you are not familiar with unzipping files please read pages FM17 - FM19 or read the Unzipping Files document for a general set of instructions.  The example is from my CIS 101 class.
  3. Read and do the steps in Excel Tutorial 3 pages EX115 - EX162.
  4. Do Case Problem 1 (Chemistry 303 Final Scores) on pages EX164 - EX165.  When you are done your spreadsheets should look like this document.  If you have done the formulas correctly then you will have the same values as shown in the above document.  Please note there maybe multiple pages in the answer document so click the Next Page arrow to see all of the pages.  I do not provide the formulas.  You are to figure them out yourself.  If you have trouble, then email me.  I will help you.  Also, please note we are not using SAM so please ignore the directions about SAM.
  5. Online students:  Upload the Drake Family Budget.xlsx and Chemistry 303 Final Scores.xlsx files to the Excel Tutorial 3 assignment on the class website in TalonNet.  Please note that you must submit both files at the same time to the assignment in TalonNet.  So complete both the tutorial and the Case Problem 1 before logging in to TalonNet and submitting the assignment.
  6. Traditional students:  During the lab time show the above files listed in step 5 on your computer screen to me.

Last update: 01/29/11