Multiply two colums; BASIC help needed

[wdc202]

I am absolutely new to Excel and am having trouble interpreting the Help
screens. I am learning by trial-and-error and need the most rudimentary
help. For example:

Given a worksheet with 5 numbers in Col. A and 5 numbers in Col. B ...
how do I print in Col. C1 through C5
a1*b1, a2*b2, a3*b3, a4*b4, a5*b5?

1) In what box(es) do I enter the formula? -- Do I have to insert an*bn
in all 5 cells in Col.C?

2) After I enter the formula, what key do I click to start the
operation?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

on C column use

=a1*b1 hit enter

copy it down (CTRL+C to copy) and (CTRL+V to paste)

by default calculation is automatic, (tolls | options | calc) the F9
calculate the formulas when it's set as manual

hth
regards from Brazil
Marcelo


"wdc202" escreveu:

 

[Ragdyer]

In C1 enter this formula:
=A1*B1
After you hit <Enter>, click in C1 again.
There's a small black square in the bottom right corner of the selected
(clicked in) cell.
Hover the cursor over this square until it changes from a fat white cross to
a skinny black cross.
Then click and drag down to C5, then release the mouse.

What you've done is copy the contents of C1 down to all the cells from C2 to
C5.
Also, XL has *automatically* changed the cell references within the formula
to reflect the copied formulas new location relative to the cells that are
contained in the formula.

Now, C1 to C5 will return (calculate, display) the results of the their
individual formulas.

Calculation should be automatic, where if you change a value in Column A or
B, the results will immediately be displayed in Column C.

 

[Gord Dibben]

You have a couple of responses with some help.

Here is more help..............

Some tutorial sites for basics of Excel........

http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/excel/index.html

http://www.baycongroup.com/el0.htm

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/CR061831141033.aspx


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

I am absolutely new to Excel and am having trouble interpreting the Help
screens. I am learning by trial-and-error and need the most rudimentary
help. For example:

Given a worksheet with 5 numbers in Col. A and 5 numbers in Col. B ...
how do I print in Col. C1 through C5
a1*b1, a2*b2, a3*b3, a4*b4, a5*b5?

1) In what box(es) do I enter the formula? -- Do I have to insert an*bn
in all 5 cells in Col.C?

2) After I enter the formula, what key do I click to start the
operation?

Thanks.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[britwiz]

And just to illustrate that there are always multilple ways to achieve
a result using Excel:

Click cell C1 and, without letting go of the mouse button, drag down to
C5 so that they are all selected (cell C1 is unshaded - it's the
"active" cell)

Input =A1*B1

Press and hold Ctrl, press Enter - Excel will fill the selected cells
with the formula, adusted for the respective cells

Regards

Steve