Formula bar

When a cell is selected, the name of the cell and its contents are shown elsewhere on the spreadsheet.

This area of the spreadsheet is called the formula bar.

You now know that a spreadsheet cell can hold text, usually called a label. It can also hold a value that may take different forms - numbers, money, date, etc.

A cell can hold one other type of content - a formula. A formula is just a way of setting out a calculation that has to be done. Let's look at how formulae are used in spreadsheets.

Note that the cell holds the formula but displays the result.

Formulae have various mathematical functions. Here are some of them.

• + (addition)
• - (subtraction)
• * (multiplication)
• / (division)