How to do calculations in Excel

This tutorial demonstrates how to perform arithmetic calculations within Microsoft Excel and modify the order of operations in your formulas. Excel's capabilities extend far beyond simple addition; it can handle complex calculations, thanks to its hundreds of built-in functions. This guide covers basic arithmetic, function use, and controlling calculation order.

• Excel Calculation Methods
• Excel's Calculation Order
• Modifying Calculation Order in Excel

Performing Calculations in Excel

Excel calculations are straightforward:

1. Begin a cell entry with an equals sign (=). This signals Excel that you're inputting a formula.
2. Enter your equation. For instance, =5 7 adds 5 and 7.
3. Press Enter to execute the calculation.

Instead of directly inputting numbers, reference cell values (e.g., =A1 A2 A3).

The table below illustrates basic Excel arithmetic:

Operation	Operator	Example	Description
Addition		=A1 A2	Sums the values in cells A1 and A2.
Subtraction	-	=A1-A2	Subtracts the value in A2 from A1.
Multiplication		=A1A2	Multiplies the values in A1 and A2.
Division	/	=A1/A2	Divides the value in A1 by A2.
Percentage	%	=A1*10%	Calculates 10% of the value in A1.
Exponentiation	^	=A2^3	Raises the value in A2 to the power of 3.
Square Root	SQRT function	=SQRT(A1)	Calculates the square root of the value in A1.
Nth Root	^(1/n)	=A1^(1/3)	Calculates the cube root of the value in A1.

Example Calculation Results:

Combining Cell Values (Concatenation)

The ampersand (&) operator joins values from multiple cells:

=A2&" "&B2&" "&C2 (adds spaces between concatenated values)

Example:

Cell Comparisons

Logical operators compare cell values: >, =, (not equal to).

Excel's Calculation Order

Excel follows a specific order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS):

Precedence	Operation
1	Negation (-5, -A1)
2	Percentage (%)
3	Exponentiation (^)
4	Multiplication (*), Division (/) (left to right)
5	Addition ( ), Subtraction (-) (left to right)
6	Concatenation (&)
7	Comparison (>,

Modifying Calculation Order

Use parentheses to override the default order. For example:

=2*4 7 (multiplies first, then adds) results in 15.

=2*(4 7) (adds first, then multiplies) results in 22.

Root calculation example: =16^(1/2) (parentheses ensure correct order) vs. =16^1/2 (incorrect order).

Illustrative Screenshot:

This concludes our guide to Excel calculations. We hope you found it helpful!

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