CELL RANGE, CELL REFERENCING (RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE CELL REFERENCING)

CELL RANGE, CELL REFERENCING (RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE CELL REFERENCING)

Cell Range

While references often refer to individual cells – such as A1, they can also refer to a group or RANGE of cells.

Ranges are identified by the cell references of the cells in the upper left and lower right corners of the range.

The two cell references used for a range are separated by a colon ( : ) which tells Excel or Google Sheets to include all the cells between these start and end points

e.g =sum( D3:D10)

Relative, Absolute, and Mixed Cell References

The three types of references that can be used in Excel and Google Sheets are easily identified by the presence or absence of dollar signs ($) within the cell reference:

• Relative cell references Used to copy formulas into other cells and contain no dollar signs, as shown in the formula in row 2, = A2+A4.
• This means the formulas will follow similar operation while being used. Such operations can cause errors in the calculations.
• Absolute cell references  used to copy formulas into other cells without causing errors and changes. They use dollar signs to each letter or number in a reference, as shown in the formula in row 4, =$A$2+$A$4.
• Mixed cell references have dollar signs attached to either the letter or the number in a reference but not both, as shown in the formula in row 5, =$A2+A$4.
• SEE THIS LINK

Copying Formulas and Different Cell References

Another advantage of using cell references in formulas is that they make it easier to copy formulas from one location to another in a worksheet or workbook.