Your first formulas
8 minutes · 5 steps · free, no sign-up
Formulas are what make a spreadsheet more than a table. In this lesson you will total a shopping list, find the average price and work out tax, all without a calculator.
- Start a formula with =
- Add cells together with +
- Use SUM and AVERAGE on a range
- Build one formula from another
- See formulas recalculate automatically
Click a cell and start typing. Enter edits, Tab moves right, arrows move, Delete clears.
Quick referenceFormulas in this lesson
=B2+B3+B4 add cells one by one
=SUM(B2:B6) add a whole range
=AVERAGE(B2:B6) the mean of a range
=B7*0.1 10% of the value in B7The key ideasSummary: Your first formulas
Every formula begins with an equals sign. After that you can use numbers, cell references like B2, operators such as + - * /, and functions such as SUM.
A range like B2:B6 means every cell from B2 to B6. Functions work on ranges, so =SUM(B2:B6) keeps working when you add more rows inside the range. Because formulas point at cells instead of copying numbers, changing an input updates every result that depends on it.
Watch out forCommon mistakes
- Forgetting the equals sign. Without
=, Sheets treatsSUM(B2:B6)as plain text and just shows it. - Putting the answer inside its own range. Writing
=SUM(B2:B7)in cell B7 makes a circular reference, because the cell is trying to add itself. - Typing numbers instead of cell references.
=2.5+4+8works today but will not change when the prices do. Point at the cells so the formula stays live.
Next stepTry it in the real Google Sheets
In Google Sheets you rarely need to type cell addresses. After typing =SUM(, drag across the cells with the mouse to fill in the range. The toolbar also has a sigma (Σ) button that inserts SUM, AVERAGE and others for you. A quick check without any formula: select a column of numbers and look at the bottom-right corner of the window, where Sheets shows their sum.