Spreadsheets and Graphing

About Spreadsheets To Create a New Spreadsheet To Enter Data To Graph Data To Graph Fractions To Print A Graph To Go Back and Print A Graph Later To Add Up a Row or Column

About Spreadsheets

A spreadsheet is a program that can store data and manipulate it. When you open a new spreadsheet, you will see a grid. You can enter a number or word in each box. Then you can graph the data or perform calculations such as adding up a row of numbers. Microsoft Works has a simple spreadsheet program that you and your students can use.

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To Create A New Spreadsheet

On the desktop, find the Microsoft Works icon and double click.

You will see a window that says "Works Task Launcher." Click on "Works Tools."

Click on the "Spreadsheet" button to open a new blank spreadsheet.

You will see an empy grid!

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To Enter Data

You can type words or numbers in each square of the grid. Click in a box and start typing. Then click in the next box and type something else. If you want to erase something, select it and press the "Delete" key.

You will need to enter a heading above each row or column of numbers.

You can have just one column of data:

Or, you can have several columns:

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To Graph Data

To create a graph, click in the top left box, hold down the mouse, and drag the cursor to select all the data you want to graph. Don't forget to select the row and column headings, too.
(Don't worry if the top left box stays white.)

Next, click the graph button on the toolbar. It looks like a bar graph.

You will see a window which lets you choose different types of graphs.
Experiment by clicking on the different options. You will see a preview of how your graph will look in each format on the right. (This is not the final graph - don't worry if your row and column headings are cut short.)

You can add a title for the graph by typing it in the "Title" box on the lower left.
When you are satisfied, click "Okay."

You will see the graph displayed! Be sure to save it! (Go to the "File" menu and click "Save.")

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To Graph Fractions

To graph fractions, select two or more fractions that add up to one. Type in the name of each fraction as the column heading. In the box below, type a zero, a space, and the fraction.

When you have typed all your fractions, select the boxes and click on the graph button as described above. Choose a circle graph.

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To Print a Graph

To print a graph, click on the "Print" button in the toolbar.

Your graph will look a little different when you print it. If you want to see what it will look like before you print, you can go to the "File" menu and click "Print Preview."

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To Go Back and Print a Graph Later:

You can save your graph, close the document and go back later to print it. When you want to print, follow these two extra steps.

Open the document. Then go to the "View" menu and click "Chart."

You will see a list of graphs that you created. Click on one of them and click "OK."

If that's not the one you want, you can go to the "View" menu again, click "Chart" again, and choose another one. Then click on the "Print" button on the toolbar.

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To Add up a Row or Column:

A spreadsheet can automatically add, multiply, divide or subtract the numbers you enter, in any combination! For example, you might want it to add up a row or a column of numbers.

First, write "Total" to label the sum of a column.

Next, click on the box where you want the total to go.

Now, go to the "Tools" menu. Click on "Easy Calc."

You will see a list of different calculations you can perform. Click on "Sum."

First, the program will ask you which numbers you want to add up. It will make a guess and highlight the numbers it thinks you want to add. If the guess is right, just click on "Next." (If the guess is not right, you can click and drag to select the numbers you want to add. Then click "Next.")

Now, the program will ask you where you want to put the result. It highlights its guess. If it is right, just click on "Finish." If it is not right, click on the box where you want to put the result.

The sum of the numbers should appear in the box you indicated.

Now, you can repeat the process for each of the columns or rows.
If you added all the columns or rows in this example, it might look like this.

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