Create a formula by using a function

You can create a formula to calculate values in your worksheet by using a function. For example, the formulas =SUM(A1:A2) and SUM(A1,A2) both use the SUM function to add the values in cells A1 and A2. Formulas always start with an equal sign (=).

1. Click the cell where you want the formula.

2. To start the formula with the function, click in the formula bar or start typing the formula in the cell.

   Tip:  For a list of available functions, see functions (alphabetical) or functions (by category).

3. After you complete the arguments for the formula, press Enter to see the formula result in the cell.

Tip:  If you frequently use functions, you can enter your formulas directly on the worksheet. After you type the equal sign (=) and the function name, you can see information about the formula syntax and the function arguments.

Examples

Use the data here to work with examples of formulas using a function. You can see and change formulas, and enter your own formulas.

Copy the table to cell A1 in a blank worksheet to work with these examples of formulas that use functions.

Data
5	4
2	6
3	8
7	1
Formula	Description	Result
'=SUM(A:A)	Adds all numbers in column A	=SUM(A:A)
'=AVERAGE(A1:B4)	Averages all numbers in the range A1:B4	=AVERAGE(A1:B4)