Georgia Institute of Technology

CEE 3020
Microsoft Excel Tutorial, Spring 2014
1. Multiple Cell Selection:
Select the first cell by Left Click
Select the last cell by Shift + Left Click
{ If selecting all the cells between the first one and the last one is not desired try selecting
the second cell and other cells by Ctrl + Left Click }
For Mac:
Select the first cell by Right Click
Select the last cell by Command + Right Click
{ If selecting a full string of cells just Right Click and drag your curser across the desire
cells; to deselect a cell just press Command + Right Click on a previously selected cell}
2. Formatting Cells ( can be used to select # of decimal places, date formats etc. ):
Right click the cell
Select Format Cell
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
3. Calculations:
E.g. Type =A1+A2 ( to add values in Cell A1 and A2 )
{ Instead of writing A1 and A2 selection can be done with mouse click. Some constants
can also be included in the calculations, i.e., =A1+A2-45 }
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
4. Repeating Same Calculation:
Select the cell(s) in which first calculation was done
Move mouse to down-right corner of the selection to activate the cross
Drag through the columns (or rows) and drop at last cell
Or double click the cross
{ Excel will automatically make the calculations by changing the cell letters and indices
accordingly }
Add a $ sign in front of the row and/or column label to keep the reference row and/or
column constant throughout the repeated calculations.
{ For example, a repeating calculation containing a $A$5 term will continue to reference
the A5 cell without automatically changing the row and/or column label }
For Mac:
Follow the same directions

5. Drawing Graphs:
Select the columns containing the x and y values to be plotted { x values must be in the
first column }
Click the Insert tab to display a new ribbon across the top of the screen.
Select the desired chart type from the chart section of the ribbon (XY Scatter)
A new set of Chart Tools tabs will appear at the top of the screen. The chart can be
customized using buttons in the ribbons under these tabs. Simply click on a graph to
bring up the Chart Tools tabs at any time.
To change the source data, go to the Design tab under Chart Tools and click
Select Data. Select the appropriate data series and click Edit to change the values.
For Mac:
Select the columns containing the x and y values to be plotted { x values must be in the
first column }
Click the Insert tab and then Chart to display a new Chart ribbon across the top of the
screen.
Select the desired chart type from the chart section of the ribbon (XY Scatter)
With your Toolbox open, click once on the graph and the Formatting Palette will open
within the Toolbox. Simply click on a graph to bring up the Chart Tools tabs at any
time.
To change the source data, within the Formatting Palette of Toolbox go to Edit
listed under the Chart Data drop down menu.
6. Showing Chart Title, Axis Labels and Gridlines:
Click on the Layout tab under Chart Tools and click on the buttons corresponding to
Chart Title, Axis Titles, or Gridlines. Edit as appropriate.
For Mac:
Under Chart Options of the Formatting Palette, there are the options to label the
graph and select the grid line types. Edit as appropriate.
( do not forget to type units in axis labels and do not type a chart title if you will copy and
paste the graph into a MS Word document. In the latter case type a label just below the
plot in MS Word such as Figure 1. Stress Strain Relationship of ....... )
7. Adjusting Scale, Min, Max of an axis and changing # of decimal points shown:
Go to the Layout tab under Chart Tools and click on Axes.
Move the cursor over the axis to be edited (Horizontal or Vertical) and click on More
Primary Axis Options at the bottom.
Under Axis Options, the max and min values can quickly be changed.
Select Number on the pane to the left and adjust the units and decimals appropriately.
For Mac:
Left Click on the axis to be edited (the values of the axis should appear to be boxed)
Within the Format Axis pop up menu, select the Scale section. Within this menu, the
maximum value, minimum value, and scale can be adjusted.
To change the number of decimals, select the Number section within the Format Axis
pop up menu.

8. Showing Minor unit ticks on axis:

Go to the Layout tab under Chart Tools and click on Axes.
Move the cursor over the axis to be edited (Horizontal or Vertical) and click on More
Primary Axis Options at the bottom.
Under Axis Options, use the drop down box next to Minor tick mark type to
customize the appearance of minor ticks.
For Mac:
Under the Format Axis pop up menu, select the Ticks section to customize the major
and minor tick marks.
9. Changing Graph Scale to Logarithmic Style:
Go to the Layout tab under Chart Tools and click on Axes.
Move the cursor over the axis to be edited (Horizontal or Vertical) and click on More
Primary Axis Options at the bottom.
Under Axis Options, click the check box next to Logarithmic Scale
For Mac:
Under the Format Axis pop up menu, select the Seale section then check the box next
to Logarithmic Scale.
10. Finding the average of values of an array:
E.g. Type =AVERAGE(A1:A27) to find the average of values in cells A1 to A27
{ instead of writing A1:A27 , make multiple selection with mouse as described in 1 }
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
11. Finding standard deviation:
=STDEV(A1:A27)
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
12. Finding square root:
=SQRT(any number or cell address)
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
13. Chart type selection:
Click on the chart to bring up the Chart Tools tabs.
Select the Design tab and click on the Change Chart Type button.
Select chart type
{ XY (Scatter) type is generally used to draw data of y vs x , selection of sub-type
depends on need of marking data points, drawing chart with smoothly or sharply
connected lines }
For Mac:
To change the chart type, select the graph with a Right Click.
The Charts drop down ribbon menu should be active, but if it is not just click on
Charts which is directly above the alphabetical column labels.
Then with the graph you want to change selected, chose and Right Click on the
graph type you would like to covert to in this Charts list.

14. Adding standard deviation bars to the plot:

Click on the chart to bring up the Chart Tools tabs.
Select the Layout tab and click on the Error Bars button
Select More Error Bars Options at the bottom of the pull down menu
Select Display direction Both
Under Error Amount, click the Custom radio button and then Specify Value
Click the button having a red arrow on it to select the data series
Select the cells containing the standard deviation values in the order of data plotted
Repeat last two steps for - errors also
For Mac:
Left Click on the data points on the graph.
Select Error Bars
Within the pop up menu under Display, select Both. Under Error Amount select
Custom and then Specify Value.
Click the button having a red arrow on it to select the data series
Note which direction x or y of the error bars required.
15. Calculating area under a curve:
Trapezoidal method of approximation can be used
=1/2*(A2-A1)*(B2+B1) { As are X values, Bs are Y values }
For Mac:
Follow the same directions
16. Drawing two or more graphs having the same x values but different y values on the
same plot:
Repeat the steps in 5 for one set of data.
To add another set of data, click on the chart to bring up the Chart Tools tabs.
Select the Design tab and click on the Select Data button.
Click Add under Legend Entries (Series) and select the additional set of data, both x
and y values. The series can also be renamed as desired.
For Mac:
Repeat the steps in 5 for one set of data.
Select on Edit under Chart Data
Select Add then select the x and y data and the names

17. Drawing Column Charts

{ consider the example of drawing compressive and tensile strength blocks side by side
which have the same w/c ratio }
Select the columns having compressive and tensile strength (i.e. the pair of data you
want to be adjacent on the plot)
Select the Insert tab and click on Column in the chart type area.
Select the chart sub-type as 2-D Clustered Column
Select the Design tab under Chart Tools and click on the Select Data button.
Add or edit Series as necessary to ensure the correct data is displayed appropriately on
the chart.
Under Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels click on Edit. Click on the red arrowed
button to select the cells corresponding to the desired x labels (such as w/c ratio)
{ x axis labels can also be set by typing in category x labels field in the format
0.45,0.50,0.55,0.60 }
For Mac:
Select the columns having compressive and tensile strength (i.e. the pair of data you
want to be adjacent on the plot)
Select the Insert tab and then select Chart
Within the Charts ribbon menu, select the Column sub menu tab
Select the 2-D Cluster Column chart type
Under the Chart Data section of the Formatting Palette, select Edit
Add or edit Series as necessary to ensure the correct data is displayed appropriately on
the chart.
At the Horizontal Category (x) Axis Labels input block. Click on the red arrowed
button to select the cells corresponding to the desired x labels (such as w/c ratio)
{ x axis labels can also be set by typing in category x labels field in the format
0.45,0.50,0.55,0.60 }

Prepared by: MEHMET BEKTAS

Updated for Office 2007 by: ANDREW MCMORROW
Updated for Office for Mac 2008