Data Analysis with Microsoft Excel: Updated for Office 2007

Chapter 2 Working with Data 41

3 Verify that the Shift cells down option button is selected.

4 Click OK.

Excel shifts the values in cells A2:C10 down to A3:C11 and inserts a

new blank row in the range A2:C2.

5 Enter the data for Station 0 from Table 2-2 in the cell range A2:C2.

6 Click A1 to make it the active cell.

Data Formats

Now that you’ve entered your first data set, you’re ready to work with

data formats. Data formats are the fonts and styles that Excel applies

to your data’s appearance. Formats are applied to either text or numbers.

Excel has already applied a currency format to the sales data you’ve entered.

For example, if you click cell B2, note that the value in the formula bar is

8995, but the value displayed in the cell is $8,995. The extra dollar sign and

comma separator are aspects of the currency format. You can modify this

format if you wish by inserting additional digits to the value shown in the

cell (for example, $8,995.00). You may do this if you want dollars and cents

displayed to the user.

For the text displayed in the range A1:C1, Excel has applied a very basic

format. The text is left justifi ed within its cell and displayed in 11-point

Calibri font (depending on how Excel has been confi gured on your system,

a different font or font size may be used). You can modify this format

as well.

Try it now, applying a boldface font to the column titles in A1:C1. In

addition, center each column title within its cell.

To apply a boldface font and center the column titles:

1 Select the range A1:C1.

2 Click the Bold button from the Font group on the Home tab.

3 Click the Center button from the Alignment group on the

Home tab.

4 Click cell A1 to remove the selection.

Your data set should look like Figure 2-5.