2.

11 Work with Long Text

Whenever you type text that is too long to fit into a cell, Microsoft Excel attempts to display
all the text. It left-aligns the text regardless of the alignment you have assigned to it, and it
borrows space from the blank cells to the right. However, a long text entry will never write
over cells that already contain entries—instead, the cells that contain entries cut off the
long text. The following exercise illustrates this.

2.12 EXERCISE 6

Work with Long Text

1. Move to cell A6.

2. Type Now is the time for al good men to go to the aid of their army.

3. Press Enter. Everything that does not fit into cell A6 spil s over into the adjacent cell.

4. Move to cell B6.

6. Press Enter. Excel cuts off the entry in cell A6.

7. Move to cell A6.

8. Look at the Formula bar. The text is stil in the cel .

2.13 Change A Column's Width

You can increase column widths. Increasing the column width enables you to see the long
text.
2.14 EXERCISE 7
Change Column Width
1. Make sure you are in any cell under column A.

2. Choose the Home tab.

3. Click the down arrow next to Format in the Cells group.

4. Click Column Width. The Column Width dialog box appears.

5. Type 55 in the Column Width field.

6. Click OK. Column A is set to a width of 55. You should now be able to see all of the text.
Change a Column Width by Dragging

You can also change the column width with the cursor.

1. Place the mouse pointer on the line between the B and C column headings.

The mouse pointer should look like the one displayed here , with two arrows.

2. Move your mouse to the right while holding down the left mouse button. The width
indicator appears on the screen.

3. Release the left mouse button when the width indicator shows approximately 20. Excel
increases the column width to 20.

Change a Column Width by AutoFit Column Width 1. Select the column or column you
want to change the column width.

2. Choose the Home tab.

3. Click the down arrow next to Format in the Cells group.

4. Click on AutoFit Column Width. You should now be able to see all of the text.

2.15 Format Numbers

You can format the numbers you enter into Microsoft Excel. For example, you can add
commas to separate thousands, specify the number of decimal places, place a dollar sign in
front of a number, or display a number as a percent.

2.16 EXERCISE 8

1. Move to cell B8.

3. Click the check mark [ √ ] on the Formula bar.

4. Choose the Home tab.

5. Click the down arrow next to the Number Format box. A menu appears.

6. Click Number. Excel adds two decimal places to the number you typed.
7. Click the Comma Style button. . Excel separates thousands with a comma.

8. Click the Accounting Number Format button. Excel adds a dollar sign to your number.

9. Click twice on the Increase Decimal button to change the number format to four decimal
places.

[Link] the Decrease Decimal button, if you wish to decrease the number of decimal places.

Change a decimal to a percent.

1. Move to cell B9.

2. Type 0.35 (note the decimal point).

3. Click the check mark [ √ ] on the formula bar.

4. Choose the Home tab.

Creating Excel Functions, Filling Cells, and Printing By using functions, you can quickly
and easily make many useful calculations, such as finding an average, the highest number,
the lowest number, and a count of the number of items in a list. Microsoft Excel has many
functions that you can use.

3.1

Using Reference Operators

A range reference refers to all the cells between and including the reference. A range
reference consists of two cell addresses separated by a colon. The reference A1:A3 includes
cells A1, A2, and A3. The reference A1:C3 includes cells A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, and
C3.

A union reference includes two or more references. A union reference consists of two or
more numbers, range references, or cell addresses separated by a comma.

The reference A7,B8:B10,C9,10 refers to cells A7, B8 to B10, C9 and the number 10.

3.2

Understanding Functions
Functions are prewritten formulas. Functions differ from regular formulas in that you
supply the value but not the operators, such as +, -, *, or /. For example, you can use the
SUM function to add. When using a function, remember the following:

1. Use an equal sign to begin a formula.

2. Specify the function name.

3. Enclose arguments within parentheses. Arguments are values on which you want to
perform the calculation. For example, arguments specify the numbers or cells you want to
add.

4. Use a comma to separate arguments.

Here is an example of a function:

=SUM(2,13,A1,B2:C7)
In this function, known as the SUM function:

1. The equal sign begins the function.

2. SUM is the name of the function.

3. 2, 13, A1, and B2:C7 are the arguments. Parentheses enclose the arguments.

4. Commas separate the arguments.

After you type the first letter of a function name, the AutoComplete list appears.

You can double-click on an item in the AutoComplete list to complete your entry quickly.
Excel wil complete the function name and enter the first parenthesis.
3.3
EXERCISE 1
Functions

The SUM function adds argument values.

1. Open Microsoft Excel.

2. Type 12 in cell B1.

3. Press Enter.

4. Type 27 in cell B2.

5. Press Enter.

6. Type 24 in cell B3.

7. Press Enter.

8. Type =SUM(B1:B3) in cell A4.

Alternate Method: Enter a Function with the Ribbon

1. Type 150 in cell C1.

2. Press Enter.

3. Type 85 in cell C2.

4. Press Enter.

5. Type 65 in cell C3, and Press Enter 6. Choose the Formulas tab.

7. Click the Insert Function button. The Insert Function dialog box appears.

8. Choose Math & Trig in the Or Select A Category box.

9. Click Sum in the Select A Function box.

[Link] OK.

[Link] Function Arguments dialog box appears with C1:C3 displayed in the Number1 field.
[Link] C1:C3 in the Number1 field, if it does not automatical y appear.

[Link] OK. The sum of cells C1 to C3, which is 300, appears.