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Basic formulas and functions

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Formulas and functions are one of the main tools of Excel, allowing you to perform calculations and analyzes on your data quickly and efficiently. To begin with, it's important to understand the difference between formulas and functions.

A formula is a sequence of operators and cell references that Excel uses to calculate a result. For example, if you wanted to sum the values of cells A1 and B1, you could use the following formula: =A1+B1.

Functions, on the other hand, are predefined formulas that perform specific calculations. For example, if you want to calculate the average of the values in cells A1 to A5, you can use the function =AVERAGE(A1:A5).

There are many functions available in Excel, but some of the more common ones include:

SUM: sums the values of the specified cells.
AVERAGE: calculates the average of the values in the specified cells.
MAX: returns the maximum value of the specified cells.
MINIMUM: returns the minimum value of the specified cells.
CONT.IF: counts the number of cells that meet a given criteria.

To use a function, you must type the name of the function followed by a pair of parentheses. Inside the parentheses, you must specify the cells you want to use as arguments for the function. For example, if you wanted to use the SUM function to add the values of cells A1 to A5, you could type the following formula: =SUM(A1:A5).

In addition, you can use mathematical operators like +, -, *, / and ^ to perform calculations in your formulas. For example, if you wanted to calculate the square of the value in cell A1, you could use the following formula: =A1^2.

Finally, it's important to remember that Excel formulas and functions are case sensitive. This means that you must type the function name or cell reference exactly as it is written, otherwise Excel will not recognize the formula or function.

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