Mastering the Basics of Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel Functions (Basics for Beginners)

In Excel, there are many built-in formulas called functions. These functions help you do different types of calculations quickly. Functions are grouped into categories like:

• Logical

• Mathematical

• Statistical

• Financial

Examples of functions:

• =MAX(C3:C8) – This shows the largest value in the range C3 to C8

• =INT(35.65) – This removes the decimal part and gives you 35

Every function in Excel must start with an equal sign (=).

You can also combine functions with other functions or formulas for more advanced calculations.

Parts of a Function:

A function has two main parts:

1. Function Name – like MAX, SUM, INT, etc.

2. Argument – the input inside the brackets ( ), like a cell range or number.

For example, in =MAX(C3:C8):

• MAX is the function name

• C3:C8 is the argument (the range of cells being used)

Cells like C3 and C8 are called cell references or cell addresses.

Count and Other Basic Functions in Excel (Made Simple)

In this section, you’ll learn about some useful Excel functions for working with numbers and data:

1. Minimum Function (MIN)

Example: =MIN(E2:E5)
This function finds the smallest number in the range E2 to E5.

2. Maximum Function (MAX)

Example: =MAX(E2:E5)
This function finds the largest number in the range E2 to E5.

3. Sum Function (SUM)

Example: =SUM(E2:E5)
This adds all the numbers in the range E2 to E5 and gives the total.

Multi-Sheet Example:
=SUM(Sheet1:Sheet3!E2:E5)
This adds the values from cells E2 to E5 across Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3.

4. Count Function (COUNT)

Example: =COUNT(E2:E5)
This counts how many cells with numbers are in the range E2 to E5.
It ignores empty cells and text cells.

5. CountA Function (COUNTA)

Example: =COUNTA(E2:E5)
This counts how many non-empty cells are in the range E2 to E5, including numbers, text, or any data.

More Useful Excel Functions (Simplified for Beginners)

Here are some more commonly used functions in Microsoft Excel:

1. CountBlank Function (COUNTBLANK)

Example: =COUNTBLANK(E2:E5)
This function counts how many empty (blank) cells are in the range E2 to E5.

2. Average Function (AVERAGE)

Example: =AVERAGE(E2:E5)
This function calculates the average (mean) of the values in the range E2 to E5.

3. Integer Function (INT)

Example: =INT(E3)
This function removes the decimal part of the number in cell E3 and shows only the whole number.

Note: It doesn’t round the number, it just drops the decimal.

Example:
=INT(15.35+10+35.35) → The result will be 60

4. Round Function (ROUND)

Example: =ROUND(E3,2)
This rounds the number in E3 to 2 decimal places.

Another example:
=ROUND(15.67543,0) → Result is 16 (rounded to nearest whole number)

5. Combination of Functions

Example: =INT(SUM(C3:C8)/C5)
This function:

1. Adds up values in the range C3 to C8

2. Divides the total by the value in C5

3. Shows the final result as an integer (without decimals)

Note: The answer will not be rounded, only the decimal part is removed.