Working with Worksheets

1Cells, rows and columns

• Columns go up and down and are labelled with letters: A, B, C... After Z come AA, AB and so on.
• Rows go across and are labelled with numbers: 1, 2, 3...
• A cell is the box where a column and a row meet. Its name, the cell reference, is the column letter followed by the row number: the cell in column C, row 4 is C4.
• A group of cells is a range. A1:A10 means all the cells from A1 down to A10.

2Working with worksheets

A new workbook starts with one sheet, usually called Sheet1. Its tab is at the bottom of the window.

3Changing rows and columns

• Insert a row: right-click a row number and choose Insert Rows Above or Insert Rows Below (in Excel: Insert, which adds a row above).
• Insert a column: right-click a column letter and choose Insert Columns Before or Insert Columns After (in Excel: Insert).
• Delete a row or column: right-click its number or letter and choose Delete Rows or Delete Columns (in Excel: Delete).
• Change the width of a column: point at the line between two column letters until the pointer becomes a double arrow, then drag. Double-click that line and the column fits its contents exactly.
• Change the height of a row in the same way, using the line between two row numbers.
• Hide a column you do not need to see: right-click its letter and choose Hide.

Worked example: Uwase's savings sheet

1. She double-clicks the tab Sheet1 and renames it Term 1.
2. She forgot Ishimwe, who belongs between Keza and Mugisha. She right-clicks row number 3, chooses Insert Rows Above, and types Ishimwe's name and savings in the new row 3. Mugisha moves down to row 4.
3. The heading "Savings (Frw)" does not fit, so she double-clicks the line between the column letters B and C. Column B widens to fit.
4. She clicks + twice to add two more sheets, and renames them Term 2 and Term 3.

Try it yourself

Do these on a computer if you can, or answer in your book.