Chapter 11. Working with Functions

Excel is brimming with built-in functions designed to add more complexity to your individual formulas. If, however, you have not previously used these functions, the sheer number available can seem intimidating. This second part of the book details the primary functions available in Excel 2000, from the Financial to the Information functions. Each chapter details the functions providing descriptions, examples, and tips designed to ease the learning curve.

Function or Formula?

The terms function and formula as they apply to Excel are frequently interchanged. It is confusing to differentiate between the two, but this may clarify things: functions are built-in tools for performing specific calculations, comparisons, and so on. A function in Excel performs a desired task. For example, the SUM function adds numbers together. When you use the SUM function in a cell to sum the values in two cells, such as =SUM(A1,A2), it becomes a formula.

When selecting one of the built-in functions for a formula you don’t need to know exactly what calculations are required to determine the factorial of a number -- you can select a function to do the calculation for you.

Excel provides many different functions that can be accessed on the Paste Function dialog by selecting Insert Function. See Figure 11-1.

The Paste Function dialog provides access to the various functions available within Excel

Figure 11-1. The Paste Function dialog provides access to the various ...

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