Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, 4th ed.c

and trigonometric, statistical, financial, and logical functions. In this chapter, we will dis-

cuss some of the common functions that you may use during your engineering education

or later as a practicing engineer. You can enter a function in any cell by simply typing the

name of the function if you already know it. If you do not know the name of the function,

then you can press the Insert Function (fx)button, and then from the menu select the

Function category and the Function name. There is also a Help button, on the lower left

corner of the Insert Functionmenu, which once activated and followed leads to informa-

tion about what the function computes and how the function is to be used.

Some examples of commonly used Excel functions, along with their proper use and

descriptions, are shown in Table 14.3. Refer to Example 14.3 and Figure 14.6 when studying

Table 14.3.

14.4 Using Excel Functions 429

TABLE 14.3 Some Excel Functions that You May Use in Engineering Analyses

Function Description of the Function Example Result of the Example

SUM(range) It sums the values in the given range. SUM(A1:B10) 164

or

SUM(values)

AVERAGE(range) It calculates the average value of the AVERAGE(A1:B10) 8.2

data in the given range. or

AVERAGE(values)

COUNT It counts the number of values in the COUNT (A1:B10) 20

given range. or

COUNT(values)

MAX It determines the largest value in the MAX(A1:B10) 10

given range. or

MAX(values)

MIN It determines the smallest value in the MIN(A1:B10) 6

given range. or

MIN(values)

STDEV It calculates the standard deviation for the STDEV(A1:B10) 1.105

values in the given range. or

STDEV(values)

PI It returns the value of p, PI() 3.141519265358979

3.141519265358979, accurate to 15 digits.

DEGREES It converts the value in the cell from DEGREES(PI()) 180

radians to degrees.

RADIANS It converts the value from degrees to radians. RADIANS(90) 1.57079

or

RADIANS(D1) 3.14159

COS It returns the cosine value of the argument. COS(PI() /2) 0

The argument must be in radians. or

COS(RADIANS(D1))  1

SIN It returns the sine value of the argument. SIN(PI() /2) 1

The argument must be in radians. or

SIN(RADIANS(D1)) 0

Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).

圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀