Spreadsheets, Tables & Basic Formulas
The market trader's ledger, cell addresses, data types, formulas, operators and AutoFill.
By the end, you will be able to:
- Name columns, rows, cells, the active cell, the Name Box and the Formula Bar, and give any cell's address (column letter first, then row number).
- Tell text (labels, left-aligned) from numbers (values, right-aligned).
- Write formulas that start with = and use the four operators + - * /, using cell addresses rather than fixed numbers.
- Copy a formula down a column with the AutoFill handle and fix #####, #NAME? and #VALUE!.
What you need
No computer at home? Print the PDF and practise on paper.
Follow these steps in order
Tick each step when you finish it. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can stop and come back later.
Learn the ideas ⏱️ 35 min
Read pages 1–4 of the workbook and try every small task. Type your answers straight into the boxes: they save by themselves.
Explore the 3D lab ⏱️ 15 min
Play with the 3D model below. The 🎯 missions tell you exactly what to do next. When you finish every mission, this step ticks itself.
Do the Lab Mission ⏱️ 25 min
Page 5 is the hands-on task. Do it on a real computer, step by step. You need: Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc or Google Sheets.
Check yourself ⏱️ 10 min
Answer the questions on page 6 without looking back, then check your answers below.
Finished? Check your answers
Page 2, Check Your Thinking
- A. Gari: B1.
- B. Cassava: C2.
Page 5 lab, expected line totals: D2 = 80, D3 = 40, D4 = 20, D5 = 22.50.
1. Formula Writing Practice
- Multiply B3 by C3: =B3*C3
- Add A1 and A2: =A1+A2
- Divide D10 by E10: =D10/E10
- Subtract C5 from B5: =B5-C5 (not =C5-B5; "subtract C5 from B5" means B5 minus C5).
2. Written Review Questions
- Numbers line up on the right so the units, tens and hundreds sit under each other, which makes them easy to add and compare. Text lines up on the left so it reads naturally, like a book (page 2).
- They forgot the equals sign. Without = at the start, the spreadsheet treats B2*C2 as plain text and does not calculate.
- The number is too wide to fit in the column. Fix it by moving the pointer to the line between the column letters (for example between D and E) and double-clicking to widen the column.
Rate yourself and save your work ⏱️ 5 min
Tick how confident you feel on the last page, then press 🖨 Print / Save as PDF in the workbook to keep a copy. On a shared computer, press Clear my answers when you have saved it.
🎉 Session 10 complete!
Brilliant work. Next up: Session 11: Functions, Ranges & Visual Charts.
Go to Session 11 →📊 3D Spreadsheet Charts
Type numbers into a mini spreadsheet and watch columns and pie slices grow, with SUM, AVERAGE, MAX and MIN updating live. Follow the 🎯 missions on the right: they tell you what to do next.
Stuck? Try this
Most problems are one missed word. Look for the Panic Button or Help box in the workbook.
Refresh the page. On a very old computer it may not show 3D. The workbook still has everything you need.
Answers save on the computer you typed them on. Open the workbook on that same computer and browser.
Ask your mentor, a teacher or a friend. Show them the step number you are on.