Page 145 - Excel Workbook for Dummies

14_798452 ch09.qxp 3/13/06 7:52 PM Page 128
128 Part II: Using Formulas and Functions

7. Copy this edited version of the SQRT formula with the nested ABS function over
the original formula copies in the cell range D10:D11.
Check your results against those shown in Figure 9-2. If everything checks out,
proceed to Step 8.
8. Save your workbook file in the Chapter 9 folder with the filename Solved9-2.xls.

Figure 9-2:
The
Exercise9-2.
xls work-
book with its
PRODUCT,
POWER,
and SQRT
formulas.

Doing Fancier Sums

Without any doubt, SUM is the preeminent function in the Math & Trig category. This
function is so central to spreadsheet formula-making that the Standard toolbar con-
tains its own AutoSum button to facilitate the construction of all your SUM formulas.
The SUM function is not the only function in the Math & Trig category capable of
computing totals. In addition, the program offers more specialized summing functions
for use when you need to total the products or squares of the values in a range or
total values only when a particular condition is met.

Summing products, squares, and
their differences

You can use the SUMPRODUCT function to have Excel total the products returned by
multiplying the values in corresponding arrays. For one array to correspond to
another, each must consist of the same number of rows and columns.