Grade 8 ICT
Spreadsheet Pre-Test Revision Guide
1. Basic Formulas (Cell References & Arithmetic Operators)
Explanation: In Excel, formulas always start with an equals sign (=). You can perform calculations by
combining cell references (like A1, B2) with arithmetic operators (+, -, *, /).
Formula Result
=A2 + B2 8
=A2 - B2 2
=A2 * B2 15
=A2 / B2 1.67
Tip: Always begin with '='. Use cell references instead of hard numbers.
2. Basic Functions: MIN, MAX, SUM, AVERAGE
Explanation: Excel provides built-in functions to quickly calculate common values.
Function Syntax What it Does
SUM =SUM(A1:A5) Adds values
AVERAGE =AVERAGE(A1:A5) Calculates the mean
MIN =MIN(A1:A5) Returns smallest value
MAX =MAX(A1:A5) Returns largest value
3. The IF Function (Making Decisions)
Explanation: The IF function checks a condition and returns one value if it’s true and another if it’s
false.
Syntax: =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)
Name Score Result
Anna 80 Pass
Bella 60 Fail
4. Multiple Conditions: Nested IF and IF with AND
Nested IF allows multiple outcomes by placing IF inside another IF.
Example (Grades): =IF(B2>=90, "A", IF(B2>=80, "B", IF(B2>=70, "C", "D")))
Name Score Grade
Anna 92 A
Bella 85 B
Charlie 72 C
David 60 D
5. LEFT and RIGHT Functions (Extracting Text)
LEFT takes characters from the beginning of text, RIGHT takes characters from the end.
Original Text Formula Result
STUDENT123 =LEFT(A2,7) STUDENT
HELLO2025 =RIGHT(A3,4) 2025
6. CONCATENATE vs CONCAT (Combining Text)
Explanation: Both functions join text. CONCAT is newer and can handle ranges. CONCATENATE
requires listing each item separately.
Formula Result
=CONCATENATE(A2, " ", B2) John Doe
=CONCAT(A2, " ", B2) John Doe
