About this lesson
Your first formulas: SUM, AVERAGE, MAX
Use =SUM(B2:B7) to add up a range, =AVERAGE(B2:B7) for the average and =MAX(B2:B7) for the largest value. Because they are formulas, the results recalculate whenever an input changes.
=SUM(B2:B7)Worked example
Total a retailer's year-to-date operating costs, find the monthly run-rate and the peak month, and watch formulas update themselves.
| Cell | What it works out | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| B8 | Year to dateOpex ($k) | =SUM(B2:B7) | 26,340 |
| B9 | Monthly averageOpex ($k) | =AVERAGE(B2:B7) | 4,390 |
| B10 | Peak monthOpex ($k) | =MAX(B2:B7) | 5,420 |
The data
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Month (FY27) | Opex ($k) |
| 2 | Jul | 4,120 |
| 3 | Aug | 3,980 |
| 4 | Sep | 4,310 |
| 5 | Oct | 4,050 |
| 6 | Nov | 4,460 |
| 7 | Dec | 5,180 |
| 8 | Year to date | |
| 9 | Monthly average | |
| 10 | Peak month |