Functions, Ranges & Visual Charts
Ranges, SUM/AVERAGE/MAX/MIN, choosing chart types and selecting the right cells.
By the end, you will be able to:
- Write a range using colon notation (for example
D2:D5) and say that the colon means "through to". - Use
=SUM,=AVERAGE,=MAXand=MINand explain the difference between a formula and a function. - Select the labels and numbers (leaving out the Total row) and insert a column chart with a title.
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
Check Your Thinking (Page 2)
- A:
=SUM(A1:A4)= 100 - B:
=MAX(A1:A4)= 40 - C:
=AVERAGE(A1:A4)= 25
Match the Function to its Job (Page 6)
Item Correct job =SUM(B2:B10)Adds up all numbers to give a grand total =AVERAGE(B2:B10)Calculates the typical mean score =MAX(B2:B10)Finds the largest / highest value =MIN(B2:B10)Finds the smallest / lowest value D2:D20A range of cells from D2 through to D20 Written Review Questions
- The Total is much bigger than any single item, so its bar is huge and makes the other bars look like tiny flat slivers. Look for: "it is not an item" or "it squashes the other bars".
- "Through to" (every cell from A1 through to A50).
- A pie chart.
Lab check (Page 5): Grand Total 162.50; Average Price 3.88 (shows 3.875 if the 2-decimal format step was skipped); Highest 8.00; Lowest 1.50. After changing B2 to 35, the Books bar grows and the Grand Total rises (to 362.50 if D2 is the formula
=B2*C2from Session 10).- A:
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 11 complete!
Brilliant work. Next up: Session 12: Presentations & Slide Design.
Go to Session 12 →📊 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.
Going somewhere without internet? Download this session's study pack (workbook, PDF and README). Last updated 30 October 2026.