CPSC 547 - A Review of Spreadsheets
Introduction - Overview of Spreadsheets
A spreadsheet package contains the electronic equivalent of a
pencil, an eraser and a large paper worksheet ruled with lines to
give rows and columns. It can be used to solve problems quickly
much as you would use a calculator in conjunction with your paper
worksheet. The monitor screen connected to the microcomputer acts
like a window displaying different areas of the worksheet. One
position or 'cell' is uniquely defined by highlighting(or a flashing
'cursor') and this indicates where the pencil is currently pointing.
At any position in the worksheet, you can enter words or numbers.
In 'cells' where you want to perform a calculation , you enter a
formula. The software reponds immediately by carrying out the
calculation automatically and displaying the results. A powerful
recalculation facility jumps into action each time you make an entry
in the worksheet, updating every cell with the new information. In
consequence, you can perform calculations more rapidly and you can
therefore try out many more options. So by the term spreadsheet we
mean software which allows calculations on a matrix of cells, with
facilities for manipulation rows and columns of entries and 'copying'
of formulae, and with automatic recalculation.
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Belinda Fong
Christopher Sakamoto
February 21, 1996