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0Formulae & Functions

What is the difference between a Formula and a Function?

• A formula can:
o Contain a function
o Be simple calculations/mathematical operation
o Be typed directly into the formula bar

It is a statement that performs calculations on values in your worksheet. For instance,

"=A1+B1"

• A function:
o Is a special type of formula/complex formula

o Is built into the software/spreadsheet

o Can be used to simplify complicated calculations

o Can have built-in commands

o Has a pre-defined name/reserved word

It is a preset command in spreadsheets. It is a type of formula that performs specific

calculations like SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, etc. For instance, "=SUM(A1:B1)"

Using Functions

A B C D
1 10 20 30 40
2 15 25 35 45
3 20 30 40 50

• Spreadsheets offer a variety of functions. Some of the most commonly used

are:
o E.g. "=SUM(A1:B2)" This would add all the numbers from cell A1 to B2,
giving the result 65.
o E.g. "=AVERAGE(A1:B2)" This would find the average of all numbers
from cell A1 to B2, giving the result 16.25.
o E.g. "=MAX(A1:B2)" This would return the maximum number in the
range from A1 to B2, which is 25.
o E.g. "=MIN(A1:B2)" This would return the minimum number in the
range from A1 to B2, which is 10.
o E.g. "=INT(A2)" This would round down the number in cell A2 to the
nearest integer, which is 15.
o E.g. "=ROUND(A2, 0)" This would round the number in cell A2 to the
nearest whole number, which is 15.
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o E.g. "=COUNT(A1:B2)" This would count the number of cells in the

range A1 to B2 that contain numbers, which is 4.
o E.g. "=LOOKUP(25, A1:B3)" This would look for the number 25 in the
range A1 to B3 and return it.
o E.g. "=VLOOKUP(25, A1:B3, 2, FALSE)" This would look for the number
25 in the first column of the range A1 to B3 and return the
corresponding value in the second column of the same row.
o E.g. "=HLOOKUP(25, A1:D2, 2, FALSE)" This would look for the number
25 in the first row of the range A1 to D2 and return the corresponding
value in the second row of the same column.
o E.g. "=XLOOKUP(25, A1:B3, D1:D3)" This would look for the number 25
in the range A1 to B3 and return the corresponding value from the
range D1 to D3.
o E.g. "=IF(A1>B1, "Yes", "No")" This would check if the value in cell A1 is
greater than the value in cell B1. If true, it returns "Yes". If false, it
returns "No".
o SUM: Adds all the numbers in a range of cells
o AVERAGE: Calculates the average of a range of cells
o MAX and MIN: Finds the largest and smallest numbers in a range
respectively
o INT: Rounds a number down to the nearest integer
o ROUND: Rounds a number to a specified number of digits
o COUNT: Counts the number of cells in a range that contain numbers
o LOOKUP, VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, XLOOKUP: Looks up values in a table
based on a given condition
o IF: Returns one value if a condition is true and another if it's false

Using External Data Sources within Functions

• Spreadsheets allow you to use external data sources within functions.

• This could be data from another worksheet, workbook, or even a database

Using Nested Functions

• You can use a function within another function. This is called nesting.
• For instance, "=IF(A1>B1, MAX(A1:B1), MIN(A1:B1))".
o This checks if A1 is greater than B1, and if true, it returns the max value,
else it returns the min value
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Worked example

Tawara school has a shop that sells items needed by pupils in school. Part of a
spreadsheet with details of the items is shown.

Tax is paid on certain items sold in the shop. The tax rate that has to be paid is 20%
of the selling price. If tax is to be paid on an item, then ‘Y’ is placed underneath the
Tax heading.
The formula in I4 is: IF(F4=''Y'',($I$1*D4*G4),'''')
Explain, in detail, what the formula does.

[5]

5 of:

If Tax is payable then//If F4 is equal to "Y" then [1]

If true the tax is paid [1]
Multiply the rate of tax/I1 [1]
By the selling price/D4 [1]
By the amount sold/G4 [1]
If Tax is not payable//If F4 <>"Y"//Else//Otherwise [1]
Then display a blank [1]
The tax is not paid [1]