What is a spreadsheet?

Spreadsheets do the same kind of tasks as calculators. However, spreadsheets can show you the result of more than one calculation at a time. Here are examples of how a spreadsheet might be used:

• To calculate the average rainfall over a month in different parts of the country
• To compare the rise or fall in the birth rate in different counties
• To find the total marks gained by all pupils in a range of subjects

There are two parts to a spreadsheet:

1. The spreadsheet application created by a software company. This software is either bought in a shop or sold as part of an IT system.
2. The data entered by you into the spreadsheet.

Let's learn the language of spreadsheets by looking at part of a spreadsheet you will use later. It is about the costs of buying equipment for a fitness centre.