Datasheet

Simple statistics
Look again at the simple grocery list table that I mention earlier in the sec-
tion, “What Is a Table and Why Do I Care?” See Figure 1-8 for this grocery list
as I use this information to demonstrate some of the quick-and-dirty statisti-
cal tools that Excel provides.
One of the slickest and quickest tools that Excel provides is the ability to
effortlessly calculate the sum, average, count, minimum, and maximum of
values in a selected range. For example, if you select the range C2 to C10 in
Figure 1-8, Excel calculates an average, counts the values, and even sums the
quantities, displaying this useful information in the status bar. In Figure 1-8,
note the information on the status bar (the lower edge of the workbook):
Average: 1.555555556 Count: 9 Sum: 14
This indicates that the average order quantity is (roughly) 1.5, that you’re
shopping for 9 different items, and that the grocery list includes 14 items:
Two loaves of bread, one can of coffee, one tomato, one box of tea, and so on.
Figure 1-8:
Start at the
beginning.
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Chapter 1: Introducing Excel Tables
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