Lesson 1 of 4 · 8 min

Formulas & cell references

Every formula in Excel starts with an equals sign. =A1+B1 adds the values of two cells.

Relative references (A1) shift when copied; absolute references ($A$1) stay locked. Mixed references ($A1 or A$1) lock only one axis.

Practice

Create a column of prices and a fixed tax rate in cell E1. Compute price × tax for each row using an absolute reference.

+50 pts

Festival finance

You’re pricing festival meals. B2 holds the meal price; E1 holds the fixed tax rate.

1. Build a formula for price × tax that keeps E1 fixed when copied.

Your formula or code

2. Formulas begin with…

+#=@

Optional resources

No purchase or partner signup is required to complete this course or earn quiz points.

These are official product links, not active affiliate links. Learnly does not currently earn a commission from them.

Practice formulas and charts in a browser spreadsheet.

Free web version · Microsoft account required; desktop features may need a paid plan.