Your practice spreadsheet
Click a cell, then type in the formula bar. Press Enter to commit. Try =SUM(B2:B6) or =C2*B2. Arrow keys move the selection.
Five guided lessons
Absolute vs relative: watch a drag
When =A1*2 is dragged down, the reference shifts. When =$A$1*2 is dragged, it stays locked. Press play to see both.
Ten-question quiz
Instant explanations after each answer. Your best score is saved on this device.
Cheat sheet: 10 most-used formulas
Beginner questions
What is a cell reference?
A cell's address, like B2 — column letter plus row number. Formulas use references so results update when data changes.
What does =SUM(B2:B6) mean?
Add every number from cell B2 down to B6. The colon means "through".
When do I need VLOOKUP?
When you want to find a row by its first-column value and pull a value from another column of that row.
What do the dollar signs in $A$1 do?
They lock the reference so it does not shift when the formula is copied or dragged.