How to Make Microsoft Excel Do Math

Microsoft Excel is designed to undertake complex mathematical calculations, but it's user-friendly enough to do basic math. However, the format used by Excel for math problems is probably different than you are accustomed to. Instead of writing equations such as "2+2=", Excel reverses the problem; the equal sign appears at the beginning, such as "=2+2." This format allows Excel to distinguish formulas from regular text and numbers.

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Excel.

2. Enter an equal sign in cell A1 to begin the formula.

3. Enter a value or cell reference immediately after the equal sign, such as the number "12" or a cell reference "B1."

4. Include a mathematical operator, such as a plus or minus sign. For multiplication, use an asterisk. For division, use a forward slash.

5. Add another value to complete a simple calculation. As an example, you might have "=B1+C1" to add the values from those two cells, or "=12/4" to divide 12 by 4.

6. Enclose portions of a calculation with parentheses to perform enclosed calculations first. As an example, "=(10+12)/3" adds 10 to 12 and then divides by 3. Without the parentheses, 12 is divided by 3 before adding 10, which produces a different answer.