9. Creating and using basic formulas

9. Creating and Using Basic Formulas in Google Sheets

Creating and using basic formulas is critical for any user who wants to maximize efficiency and productivity when working with Google Sheets. Formulas allow you to perform calculations, manipulate data and automate tasks, transforming simple spreadsheets into powerful analysis and management tools. In this chapter, we'll explore the essential concepts for mastering basic formulas in Google Sheets.

Understanding the Formulas

A formula in Google Sheets is an expression that performs calculations based on cell values. It always starts with the equal sign (=), followed by a sequence of mathematical operators, functions, constants and cell references. Formulas can be as simple as adding two numbers or as complex as needed to solve specific problems.

Basic Operators

Basic operators are the fundamental elements of formulas and include:

• Addition (+): Adds values. Example: =A1+B1
• Subtraction (-): Subtracts values. Example: =A1-B1
• Multiplication (*): Multiplies values. Example: =A1*B1
• Division (/): Divides values. Example: =A1/B1
• Exponentiation (^): Raises a number to a power. Example: =A1^2

Cell References

Cell references are used to identify the cells that contain the data to be used in formulas. There are three main types of references:

• Relative Reference: By default, references are relative, meaning they change when the formula is copied to another cell. For example, if you copy the formula =A1+B1 from cell C1 to C2, it will automatically adjust to =A2+B2.
• Absolute Reference: Uses the dollar sign ($) to fix a column or row. For example, =$A$1+B1 will always refer to cell A1, even if it is copied to another cell.
• Mixed Reference: Combines relative and absolute references. For example, =$A1+B1 only fixes the column of A1, but not the row.

Basic Formulas

Some of the basic formulas you should know include:

• Sum: =SUM(A1:A10) sums all values ​​from the range A1 to A10.
• Average: =AVERAGE(A1:A10) calculates the average of the values ​​in the range A1 to A10.
• Maximum: =MAX(A1:A10) finds the maximum value in the range A1 to A10.
• Minimum: =MIN(A1:A10) finds the minimum value in the range A1 to A10.
• Count: =COUNT(A1:A10) counts the number of cells that contain numbers in the range A1 to A10.

Working with Functions

Google Sheets offers a wide range of built-in functions that can be used to perform specific tasks. For example:

• IF: =IF(A1 > B1, "A1 is greater", "A1 is not greater") returns one value if a condition is true and another value if it is false.
• CONCATENATE: =CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1) joins the contents of several cells into one.
• LEFT, RIGHT, MID: Text functions that return subsets of characters from a text cell.
• VLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(A1, C1:D10, 2, FALSE) searches for a value in the first column of a range and returns a value in the same row of a specified column.

Good Practices

To ensure your formulas are effective and easy to understand:

• Use range names to make formulas more readable.
• Break complex formulas into smaller parts for easier debugging.
• Use parentheses to clearly define the order of operations.
• Document your formulas with comments, especially if other people are using the spreadsheet.

Conclusion

Understanding and applying basic formulas is essential for anyone who wants to use Google Sheets effectively. By mastering mathematical operators, cell references, and basic functions, you will be well equipped to perform a wide variety of analytical and data management tasks. Remember to practice and try out the formulas in your own worksheets to familiarize yourself with their application and potential.

As you become more comfortable with the basic formulas, you can begin to explore more advanced functions and techniquesof data modeling to further expand your use of Google Sheets in your daily activities.