Excel Calculations Self-Test

Multiple choice. 22 questions.

1. An Excel formula must begin with what symbol?

A. ‘ (single quote mark)
B. / (forward slash)
C. + (plus sign)
D. = (equals sign)

Correct: D.

2. To what can a cell name reference refer?

A. A single cell only.
B. Either a single cell, a range of contiguous cells, or a combination of single cells
and ranges.
C. A range of contiguous cells only.

Correct: B.
Comment: Even non-contiguous cell and range selections can be assigned a
name.

3. How would you refer to ALL the cells in row 5? How would you refer to ALL the cells
in column A?
A. R5 and CA
B. A5:ZZZ5 and A1:A2985
C. 5:5 and A:A

Correct: C.
Comment: A5:IV5 would also reference the entire 5th row. A1:A65536 would also
reference the entire column A. However, 5:5 and A:A do the same thing
and are easier to type and remember.

4. What is Excel’s R1C1 reference style?

A. Reverses the usual row and column order in references. For example, A5
becomes 5A.
B. Numbers both rows and columns on a worksheet instead of using numbers
and characters.
C. Makes all cell references absolute automatically, without the user having to
manually apply absolute cell references.

Correct: B. The R1C1 reference style is used most often when writing Excel
macros.

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5. What Excel operator would you use in a formula to join the words “Duke” and
“University” into “Duke University”?
A. The “at” sign. That is =”Duke”@” “@”University”
B. The ampersand. That is =”Duke”&” “&”University”
C. The plus sign. That is =”Duke”+” “+”University”

Correct: B.
Comment: You can also concatenate using the concatenate function. For example,
you could write = concatenate(“Duke”, ” “, “University”) to get the same result.

6. Are the colon, space, and comma symbols at the TOP of Excel’s order of calculations
or at the bottom? That is, in a calculation are they evaluated first or last?
A. Bottom.
B. Top.

Correct: B.
Comment: See a list of operator symbols and their order by entering “order of
operations” in Excel’s online help Answer Wizard.

7. Excel’s calculation is automatic by default. How would you change the calculation
method to manual?
A. Hit the F9 key.
B. Open the “Options” dialog (Tools, Options), choose the “General” tab, and
choose “Calculate on Demand”.
C. Open the “Options” dialog (Tools, Options), choose the “Calculation” tab, and
toggle on “Manual” calculation.

Correct: C.
Comment: The F9 key causes recalculation when manual calculation is on.

8. What is Excel’s “formula palette”?

A. A dialog that displays all of Excel’s built-in functions.
B. The space in Excel’s formula bar where the content of the formula displays, as
opposed to the worksheet where the result of the formula displays.
C. An addendum to the formula bar that displays when you click the equals
button on the formula bar and shows you the progress of your formula as
you build it.

Correct: C.
Comment: The formula palette displays intermediate formula results as you
build a formula.

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9. How can you view the serial number that underlies an Excel date or the decimal
fraction that underlies an Excel time?
A. Choose Tools, Options from the menus, select the “View” tab, and choose
“Show date/time”.
B. Change the format of the cells containing the data and time to General number
format.
C. Click the F9 key.

Correct: B.
Comment: Microsoft Excel begins serial numbers with 1900. Some other systems
begin with 1904. If necessary you can use the menu commands Tools,
Options, select the “Calculation” tab, and toggle on “1904 date system” to
convert to this alternative scheme.

10. How can you replace formulas in a worksheet with the formulas’ calculated values?
That is, the formula =5+5 would be replaced in the cell with the value 10.
A. Copy the formula to the Clipboard, select Edit, Paste Special from Excel’s
menus, then from the “Paste Special” dialog choose the “Values” option.
B. Choose Tools, Options from Excel’s menus, select the “View” tab, and choose
the “Formulas to values” option.
C. Hit the F9 key.

Correct: A.
Comment: Excel’s “Paste Special” dialog is well-worth exploring. Its 15 options
include along with paste options a variety of arithmetic operations and
transposition.

11. How can you replace PART of a formula with its value?
A. In the formula bar highlight the part of the formula in question and hit the F9
key. Then hit the enter key.
B. You can’t. It’s all or nothing.
C. Highlight the part of the formula in question and hit the F4 key.

Correct: A.
Comment: The very useful F4 key is used to toggle on and off absolute, relative,
and mixed addressing when writing a formula.

12. Which of the below are valid methods for naming a cell or range?
A. Choose the range or cell and enter the name in the formula bar’s “Name Box”.
B. Choose Insert, Name, Define from Excel’s menus and complete the “Define
Name” dialog.
C. Choose Insert, Name, Create from Excel’s menus and complete the “Create
Names” dialog.
D. All of the above.

Correct: D.

13. When is it important to be mindful of absolute vs. relative vs. mixed addressing?

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 A. When using Excel’s alternative R1C1 reference method.
B. When copying a formula.
C. When writing Excel macros.

Correct: B.
Comment: If you don’t plan to copy a formula you need not worry about relative
vs. absolute addressing. But if you DO plan to copy a formula, be sure
you understand the differences.

14. Which of the answers below best describes Excel’s precision in calculations?
A. Excel stores all the digits that are part of a value.
B. Excel stores numbers with up to 25 digits of precision and discards digits
beyond 25.
C. Excel stores numbers with up to 10 digits of precision, then converts any digits
beyond 10 to zero.

Correct: B.

15. For which operation(s) can you use Excel’s Edit, Fill, Series commands?
A. Auto fill operations.
B. Date operations.
C. Linear operations.
D. A, B. and C.
E. None of the above.

Correct: D.
Comment: Linear, growth, date, and auto fill operations are all handled in the
“Series” dialog.

16. How can you quickly highlight ALL the cells in a spreadsheet that contain formulas?
A. Choose Tools, Options from the menu, select the “View” tab, and choose
“Formulas”.
B. Click the F5 key to open the “GoTo” dialog, choose “Special”, and in the “Go
To Special” dialog, choose “Formulas”.
C. Hit the F9 key.

Correct: B.
Comment: The view formulas option displays all formulas in a worksheet but
does not highlight all cells that contain them.

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17. What’s the syntax for referencing a range in a different worksheet in the SAME
workbook?
A. =WorksheetName!RangeReference
For example, =Marketing!B1:B10
B. =”WorksheetName”+RangeReference
For example, =”Marketing”+B1:B10
C. =WorksheetNumber, RangeReference
For example, =Sheet3, B1:B10

Correct: A. An exclamation mark must go between the worksheet name and the
range reference. If the worksheet name contains blanks, surround the
name with single quote marks.

18. What’s the syntax for referencing a range in a different WORKBOOK?

A. =[WorkbookName]SheetName!RangeReference
For example, =[Budget.xls]Marketing!B1:B10
B. ={WorkbookName}SheetName!RangeReference
For example, ={Budget.xls}Marketing!B1:B10
C. =SheetName!WorkbookName,RangeReference
For example, =Marketing!Budget.xls,B1:B10

Correct: A.
Comment: Use square brackets to surround the workbook name. Use the same
method to reference sheet name and range as before (that is, exclamation
mark between the two and single quote marks around the sheet name if
the name contains spaces).

19. How can you display Excel’s Auditing toolbar to trace precedents and dependencies
in a workbook?
A. Choose the menu commands View, Toolbars to see a list of toolbars and toggle
on the Auditing toolbar.
B. Choose the menu commands Tools, Auditing, Show Auditing Toolbar.
C. Use they keyboard shortcut ALT+a (depress the ALT key and tap the “a” key).

Correct: B.
Comment: The Auditing toolbar doesn’t display on the list of toolbars visible
using the View, Toolbars commands. However it DOES appear in the list
of toolbars on the “Toolbars” tab of the “Customize” dialog.

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20. Which of the below display the correct syntax for Excel’s IF function?
A. =IF(Test-condition, CellReference1, CellReference2)
For example, =IF(10<5, B1, C1)
B. =IF(Test-condition, value, “text string”)
For example, =IF(10<5, 23, “Wrong Answer”)
C. =IF(Test-condition, “No”, “Yes”)
For example, =IF(10<5, “No”, “Yes”)
D. All of the above.

Correct: D.

21. Can Excel’s IF function be nested and if so how any levels of nesting are possible?
A. Yes. Any amount of nesting is valid.
B. No.
C. Yes. Seven levels of nesting are valid.

Correct: C.
Comment: Seven levels is the limit for nesting ANY function or functions within
a formula, not just the IF function.

22. Excel includes the logical functions AND, OR, and NOT. What’s the result of this
formula? =AND(1<5, 12<24, 15<30)
A. True.
B. False.
C. The function is invalid as written and should be written =AND((1<5), (12<24),
(15<30)).

Correct: A.

End.