Checking a result with the status bar summary

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Date:

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. You want a quick check on your =SUM formula without writing another formula. What do you do?

A Select the number cells and read the sum in the status bar

B Delete the formula and type the numbers in again

2. Where does a spreadsheet show the sum, average and count of the cells you have selected?

A The status bar at the bottom of the window

B The title bar of the chart

3. You select B2:B9 and the status bar says Sum: 579. Your formula =SUM(B2:B9) says 597. What should you do?

A Investigate, because the two results should match and one is wrong

B Ignore it, because the status bar is only a rough guess

4. Which statement about the status bar summary is true?

A It always adds up the whole sheet

B It works on the range of cells you have selected

5. How can you change which results (like Max or Min) show in the status bar?

A Type the names of the results into cell A1

B Right-click the status bar and tick the ones you want

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Select B2:B9 and look at the status bar		AOpens a menu to choose which summary values show, such as Sum, Average or Count
2Right-click the status bar		B=SUM(B2:B9)
3Check your formula by selecting the same range and comparing the status bar Sum to the formula result		C=AVERAGE(C2:C9)
4The status bar can quickly show the average of a selected range to compare with an AVERAGE formula		DShows the sum, average and count of the selected numbers without typing a formula
5Selecting only cell B2 and expecting the status bar to show the sum of all marks		EOnly one cell is selected, so the status bar summarises just that cell. Select the whole range, such as B2:B9, first.
6Selecting A2:A9 (names) and expecting a sum and average in the status bar		FThe cells hold text, not numbers, so there is no sum or average. Select a range of number cells like B2:B9.

Definitions

status bar

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

=___(B2:B9)

=_______(C2:C9)

=_____(B2:B9)

=IF(SUM(B2:B9)_579,"Match","Check")

=SUM(_____)

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Formula in B10: =SUM(B2:B9)

B Select B2:B9 and read the bar

C B10 shows 570, bar shows 579

D Not equal? Formula is correct

Question 2

A Formula: =AVERAGE(B2:B9)

B Select B2:B9, look at the bar

C Status bar: Average 579

D Both show 72.375: match

Question 3

A Formula: SUM(C2:C9)

B Select C2:C9 to check

C Status bar Sum: 605

D Both show 605: it matches

Question 4

A Formula in E2: =SUM(B2:D2)

B Select B2:B9 (Ava's marks)

C Status bar Sum: 243

D Same as E2, so it is right

Question 5

A =COUNT(B2:B9) gives 8

B Select B2:B9

C Status bar: Count 8

D Different count, formula works

Answer Key

Checking a result with the status bar summary

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Select the number cells and read the sum in the status bar

A — The status bar at the bottom of the window

A — Investigate, because the two results should match and one is wrong

B — It works on the range of cells you have selected

B — Right-click the status bar and tick the ones you want

Section B: Match the Pairs

Select B2:B9 and look at the status bar → Shows the sum, average and count of the selected numbers without typing a formula

Right-click the status bar → Opens a menu to choose which summary values show, such as Sum, Average or Count

Check your formula by selecting the same range and comparing the status bar Sum to the formula result → =SUM(B2:B9)

The status bar can quickly show the average of a selected range to compare with an AVERAGE formula → =AVERAGE(C2:C9)

Selecting only cell B2 and expecting the status bar to show the sum of all marks → Only one cell is selected, so the status bar summarises just that cell. Select the whole range, such as B2:B9, first.

Selecting A2:A9 (names) and expecting a sum and average in the status bar → The cells hold text, not numbers, so there is no sum or average. Select a range of number cells like B2:B9.

Section C: Definitions

status bar — The bar at the bottom of a spreadsheet. Select a range of number cells to see their sum, average and count, then compare with your formula. Right-click it to choose what shows.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

=SUM(B2:B9)

=AVERAGE(C2:C9)

=COUNT(B2:B9)

=IF(SUM(B2:B9)=579,"Match","Check")

=SUM(D2:D9)

Section E: Spot the Error

D — If the formula result and the status bar do not match, something is wrong. The step should say to check the formula, not that it is correct.

C — 579 is the sum of the marks. The average of B2:B9 is 72.375, so the status bar should show Average 72.375.

A — Every formula must start with =. It should be =SUM(C2:C9).

B — B2:B9 is the whole Maths column. Ava's marks are in the row range B2:D2, which matches the formula.

D — If the count is different the formula may be wrong. Here the counts are both 8, so the line should say Same count.