answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Excel offers many more options than you would find on a calculator or paper & pencil. Consider this question: Why would you drive a car or fly in an airplane when you could walk or take a boat? If you only need to visit your friend next door, you most likely would walk (not take an airplane). If you just want to add three numbers to find the sum, you probably would use a calculator or paper & pencil.

The choice of tool to use is yours, but consider that two primary reasons for using Excel relate to speed and capability (the same as your choice of transport from one location to another).

EXAMPLES OF SPEED (possible to use calculator, but Excel is better option):

  • You have a column of 123 numbers in MS Word. You want to find the SUM of these numbers. You highlight the column of numbers in Word and paste them into Excel (assume you pasted in column B, rows 1-123). You then go to the first blank cell at the bottom of the list of numbers (cell B124) and enter =SUM(B1:B123).
  • You have two dates (3/14/2008 and 1/21/2010) and want to find the number of days between the dates. Enter your first date in cell A1 and your second date in cell B1. In cell C1 enter =B1-A1. Another option would be to use a single entry of ="1/21/2010" - "3/14/2008"
  • Find the SUM of twenty columns of numbers, then find the average (MEAN) value of the totals.

EXAMPLES OF CAPABILITY (probably could not use calculator):

  • Link to data from an external source and draw a graph in real time.
  • Save twenty columns of numbers, so you can make changes to three of the numbers in the entire list and automatically update the relevant totals.
  • Automatically extract stock prices from an online database and track prices over time. Highlight each cell where the price was above or below a target price.
User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why use Excel when one could easily use a calculator or paper and pencil?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Could you live easily without a pencil?

That depends what you define as a "pencil". I could live with pen and stylus.


Where could I find an amortization calculator for excel?

You may find an amortization calculator for excel at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/using-the-loan-amortization-and-loan-analysis-templates-HA001034640.aspx.


What is some things that you could find in your house for math?

Ruler, Calculator, rubber, pencil, protractor not sure what the question is asking.


Where can I find an amortization calculator online?

For this calculator you could be clever and use excel to calculate it but if you like the easy way go to on www.bankrate.com again and then the calculator is already loaded in front of you but change the currency to suit you and your personal figures as well.


What is the value of tan 114 degrees?

tan114 = - 2.24604. This could easily be found by inputting the degree value into a calculator!


What medium is used when stenciling?

The medium typically used when stenciling is pencil. One could also use pen in order to stencil, but pencil is most common just because if one makes a mistake, one could easily erase it.


What is 789 times 98?

77,322It is 77322. You seem to be unaware of the fact that you could have obtained the answer much more easily and quickly by using the calculator that comes as part of your computer.


Can you add a hyperlink or button in Excel to open a calculator?

Yes, you can. If you know where to find the Calculator, which folder it is in, you can set a link to it. Normally it is called Calc.exe and you could find its location if you search for it. When you know where it is you can set a hyperlink to it. Enter text into a cell. Then press Ctrl-K to add a hyperlink. You can then find the Calc.exe file and the link will be set to open it. Of course, Excel itself is far better than any calculator, so you already have that open.


What is 202x3?

It is 606. You seem to be unaware of the fact that you could have obtained the answer much more easily and quickly by using the calculator that comes as part of your computer.


What is 6864x5280?

It is 36,241,920. You seem to be unaware of the fact that you could have obtained the answer much more easily and quickly by using the calculator that comes as part of your computer.


What is 56x7 equals?

It is 392. You seem not to be aware but you could have obtained the answer much more easily and quickly by using the calculator that comes as part of your computer.


Do radiological technician use Microsoft Excel?

Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.Yes, a radiological technician could use a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel in their work.