First Formulas

In Excel, it's not ideal to use operation symbols for formula input because Excel provides specific formulas (or functions) for each mathematical operation.

Note

The separator for formula arguments in Excel can be either a semicolon (;) or a comma (,), depending on the system and version of Excel you are using.

There are a few reasons why it is better to use functions in Excel. Firstly, functions like SUM, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, and POWER are explicitly named, making it clear what operation is being performed. However, the main reason is that functions can use a range of values (most importantly, cells), which simple symbols cannot.

Note

Example: =SUM(A1:A5) clearly indicates that the sum of values in cells A1 to A5 is being calculated.

Example: =A1 + A2 + A3 + A4 + A5 is less clear than =SUM(A1:A5).

The can also reduce the likelihood of errors, especially in complex formulas or large datasets. =SUM(A1:A100) is much safe than =A1 + A2 + A3 + ... + A100 and way easier to write.

Many functions in Excel have built-in error handling features. For example, SUM will ignore text and empty cells, whereas using symbols directly might require additional checks.

Excel allows you to nest functions within other functions, creating powerful and flexible formulas. This capability enables you to perform more complex calculations and data analysis. Here’s an explanation using the functions SUM, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE and POWER.

Note

You can nest all sorts of different formulas. Feel free to experiment and try out different combinations and levels of nesting.