About Spreadsheet Calculations

Spreadsheet cells seem simple enough. You just type stuff in a little box, format it, and maybe even enter small formulas that add up numbers in a column. But when you understand what's possible inside of a single cell , a blank spreadsheet looks less like a blank white space with a bunch of lines and more like complex organism waiting to take shape.

A single cell, which can contain a large formula for making a complex calculation, can also be referenced by other cells, letting you nest formulas within formulas. Spreadsheets can get tricky, but they can also be fun to use. If you understand the basics of how to perform calculations in Calc, you can go a long way in creating and troubleshooting spreadsheets.

See also Using the Data Pilot to Make a Spreadsheet With Automatic Totals on page 516.