Topicma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449000663_0Topic

Designing spreadsheets including relative, absolute and mixed references

Levelma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449084556_0Level

Second

Core curriculumma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449076687_0Core curriculum

Grade VII and VIII

II. Programming and solving problems by using the computer and other digital devices. Using computer applications the student:

3) creates documents and presentations, including those in a cloud in order to solve problems and create papers from various fields (subjects), adjusts the format and the appearance of the research papers to their content/purpose and demonstrates the following skills:

c) performing calculations specified in the curriculum of various subjects within the scope of primary school and useful in everyday life and implementing selected algorithms in a spreadsheet: entering data in a worksheet table, using basic functions, using relative, absolute and mixed references, presenting data in the form of various charts, ordering and filtering data.

Timingma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449068082_0Timing

45 minutes

General objectivema20a009e6c79d97f_1528449523725_0General objective

Designing spreadsheets.

Specific objectivesma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449552113_0Specific objectives

1. Creating formulas and using them for simple calculations.

2. CopyingcopyingCopying formulas.

3. Using relative, absolute and mixed references.

Learning outcomesma20a009e6c79d97f_1528450430307_0Learning outcomes

The student:

- creates and copies formulas and uses them for simple calculations,

- uses relative, absolute and mixed references.

Methodsma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449534267_0Methods

1. Sentence completion.

2. Learning through observation.

Forms of workma20a009e6c79d97f_1528449514617_0Forms of work

1. Individual work.

2. Class work.

Lesson stages

Introductionma20a009e6c79d97f_1528450127855_0Introduction

The task of the students is to revise the information about the spreadsheet structure. They order the information using the sentence completion method.

A spreadsheet contains columns and _____________ (rows).

Columns are represented by consecutive _____________ (letters of the alphabet).

Rows are represented by consecutive _____________ (numbers).

Every intersection of a row and a column in Excel constitutes a _____________ (cellcellcell).

Each cell has a unique _____________ (address).

The cell address consists of the name of the _____________ (column) and the number of the _____________ (row).

In a spreadsheet you can copy and move entire cells or only their value. When you copy or move the content of a cell, all data are copied or moved, including values, formulas and cell formats. The topic of the lesson is what will happen to formulas when you copy cells. The knowledge of the principles of cell addressing will enable to correctly and quickly perform this operation, and thus speed up the process of creating a worksheet.

Procedurema20a009e6c79d97f_1528446435040_0Procedure

The address of a cell clearly specifies its location in a spreadsheet. When the cell address is used in mathematical formulas, it is also called a cell reference. There are three types of cell references:

- relative,
- mixed,
- absolute.

[Interactive graphics]

Relative referencerelative referenceRelative reference:
A relative reference is a default cell reference in Excel. It uses the relative location of cells in relation to one another, not their specific addresses. If, for example, you refer to the content of cell A2 from cell C2, Excel „knows” that this is a cell that is located two columns to the left in the same row (row 2). When you copy formulas that contain relative cell references, Excel changes all relative cell references into the same references in relation to the target cell.ma20a009e6c79d97f_1527752256679_0A relative reference is a default cell reference in Excel. It uses the relative location of cells in relation to one another, not their specific addresses. If, for example, you refer to the content of cell A2 from cell C2, Excel „knows” that this is a cell that is located two columns to the left in the same row (row 2). When you copy formulas that contain relative cell references, Excel changes all relative cell references into the same references in relation to the target cell.

Example:
If you copy the formulaformulaformula =A2+B2 from cell C2 to C3, the cell references are adjusted to the row below and the formula in C3 becomes =A3+B3. It is very convenient since the data series on which we perform the same operations are usually located in the same rows or columns.

Task 1

Think about and without using the computer specify how the formula =F2+D6

in cellcellcell C3 will change when you copy it to cells: B2, C2 ,C4 and E5.

[Illustration 1]

Absolute referenceabsolute referenceAbsolute reference:
If you want to maintain the original cell references when cells are copied, you must „fix” these cells. An absolute reference is used for this purpose. You make the cell reference absolute by preceding the reference to the column and row with the dollar sign ($).

Example:

When you copy the formula =$A$2+$B$2 from cell B3 do C3, you enter exactly the same formula there.

Mixed referencemixed referenceMixed reference:
Sometimes a mixed reference may be useful. You can create it by preceding with the dollar sign ($) either the row (A$2) or the column value ($A2). This way you can fix only the reference to the row or only to the column when you copy the cell. In order to fix both, you must precede with the dollar sign ($) both the row and the column value ($A$2).ma20a009e6c79d97f_1527752263647_0Sometimes a mixed reference may be useful. You can create it by preceding with the dollar sign ($) either the row (A$2) or the column value ($A2). This way you can fix only the reference to the row or only to the column when you copy the cell. In order to fix both, you must precede with the dollar sign ($) both the row and the column value ($A$2).

Example:
Below you can see an example presenting how the reference to cell A1 changes when you copy the formulaformulaformula containing its address from cell B2 to D4 using various reference types.

[Illustration 2]

Absolute – $A$1 – $A$1,
Mixed – A$1 – D$1,
Mixed –  $A1 – $A3,
Relative –  A1 – D3.

mixed referencemixed referencemixed reference is used quite rarely since we usually copy a formula both to another row and another column. In other words, a mixed reference is a type of reference which refers to the addresses of cells located in one column or in one row when you copy a function. You do not have to use it if you copy data from a single column and a single row.

Task 2

Download the worksheet and calculate:

- in column B – the price of the products increased by 10%,
- in column C – the price of the products decreased by 10%,
- in column D – the price of the products (from column A) when they are shippedby a courier.

Task 3

Download the worksheet with the task and create the multiplication table by using a mixed referencemixed referencemixed reference.

Task 4

The capital placed in a bank account increases by 3% over the year. Calculate the value of the capital after 5 years assuming that the bank will not change the interest rate. Download the worksheet with the task.

Lesson summaryma20a009e6c79d97f_1528450119332_0Lesson summary

The three types of references are used in a spreadsheet: relative, absolute and mixed. When you copy formulas, relative and mixed cellcellcell references change, while absolute cell references stay the same. Using the correct cell references enables the error‑free copyingcopyingcopying of mathematical formulas and consequently speeds up the creation of a worksheet.

Selected words and expressions used in the lesson plan

absolute referenceabsolute referenceabsolute reference

cellcellcell

copyingcopyingcopying

formulaformulaformula

mixed referencemixed referencemixed reference

relative referencerelative referencerelative reference

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copying1
copying

kopiowanie

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cell1
cell

komórka

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wymowa w języku angielskim: cell
relative reference1
relative reference

adresowanie względne

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wymowa w języku angielskim: relative reference
formula1
formula

formuła

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wymowa w języku angielskim: formula
absolute reference1
absolute reference

adresowanie bezwzględne

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wymowa w języku angielskim: absolute reference
mixed reference1
mixed reference

adresowanie mieszane

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wymowa w języku angielskim: mixed reference