Page 75 - Excel Data Analysis

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CREATING FORMULAS 4

Selecting almost any of the available Excel You can specify the value for each argument
functions requires that you provide values for either by typing the value directly in the
each argument. When you look at a formula that argument field or by specifying a cell reference.
contains a function, you see the different See Chapter 1 for more on selecting ranges. If
arguments of the function enclosed in you have questions concerning a specific function
parentheses with a comma separating each or argument, you can utilize the Help on this
individual argument. For example, the POWER function link to access Excel's help.
function requires two arguments, the number to
raise to the power, and the power. If you want to
raise the value in cell A1 to the power of 3, you
create a formula similar to the following:
Example:
=POWER(A1,3)
Some functions have a specific number of
arguments, while other functions, such as SUM,
allow you to specify up to 30 different argument
values. In some instances, the function requires a
variable number of arguments; as you type an
argument in a field, Excel adds a new argument
field.

B2:B3

■ The Function Arguments ■ You can click the Collapse ■ Excel places the formula in
dialog box displays with a list Dialog button and select the the selected cell.
of required arguments and cells containing the
their descriptions. arguments.
ˇ Type the arguments in Á Click OK.
each argument field.

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