Level 1 exam — Microsoft Excel

Exam — fresh questions

12 questions to validate data, formatting & basic formulas — types, precedence, functions, references, sorting.
Answer everything, then click Check: your score and explanations will appear.

1.1 · Recall

1. A cell displays «25%». What is it worth in calculations?

0.25 2500 The cell color 25

The Percentage format dresses 0.25; the calculations use 0.25. The format changes the display, never the value.

1.1 · Application

2. Wassim enters «12,500 DA» and =SUM(B2:B13) returns 0. What to do?

Retype the plain numbers and dress them in DA Currency Change the cell color Merge the column Add parentheses

With units, the cells are non-calculable text. Plain numbers + Currency format: the SUM answers.

1.2 · Recall

3. What is the order of precedence of calculations in Excel?

Power last, after the additions + and −, then × and ÷, then parentheses Parentheses, power, × and ÷, then + and − Left to right, without exception

Parentheses first, then ^, then × ÷, finally + −. Hence =2+3*4 = 14.

1.2 · Application

4. Price in B2, discount in C2 (0.10). Which formula applies the discount?

=SUM(B2:C2) =B2-C2*100 =B2*(1-C2) =B2+C2

The parentheses compute (1-discount) before the multiplication: =B2*(1-C2). Without them, the order skews the result.

1.2 · Arbitration

5. A long formula without parentheses gives a doubtful result. What arbitration?

Type the numbers hard-coded to go faster Merge the calculation cells Switch the column to Text format Add «comfort» parentheses and aim at cells

Parentheses guarantee the intended order and the re-reading; references keep the calculation alive.

1.3 · Recall

6. What does =COUNT(B2:B13) count?

Only the cells containing numbers The empty cells The sum of amounts All non-empty cells

COUNT counts numbers; COUNTA counts non-empty (numbers + text). For days sold, it's COUNT.

1.3 · Application

7. B2:B13 contains sales and an «N/A». What does =AVERAGE(B2:B13) return?

The sum divided by 12 boxes including the text An error 0 The average of the numbers only (the text is ignored)

AVERAGE ignores text and blanks: sum of the numbers divided by their count.

1.3 · Application

8. Wassim wants the month's total, average, min and max. Which functions?

=SORT four times =SUM, =AVERAGE, =MIN, =MAX on B2:B13 =B2+B3+B4 manually =COUNTA four times

The four aggregation functions on the range: total, average, bounds — without manual addition.

1.4 · Application

9. Rate in E1, amounts in B2:B41. Which formula to copy down?

=B2*E1 =B2*$E$1 =$B$2*$E$1 =SUM(B2:E1)

B2 follows each row (relative), $E$1 stays frozen (absolute). Without $, E1 drifts toward emptiness.

1.4 · Arbitration

10. Should you freeze everything (=$B$2*$E$1) «to protect» the copying?

No: you must remove all the $ Yes, and merge the cells Yes, always freeze everything No: you freeze the constant ($E$1), you let the data scroll (B2)

Freezing everything blocks useful copying: each row would recompute B2. Constant frozen, data free.

1.5 · Application

11. You enter 1 only, you drag the handle. Result?

1, 2, 3, 4… 1, 1, 1, 1… (copy as is) An error The months of the year

A single value = copy as is. For a series, enter two values (1 and 2) so Excel deduces the step.

1.5 · Arbitration

12. Wassim must sort a Name/Amount table by amount. Which gesture?

Sort each column separately Sort the names then the amounts apart Select the whole table (or one cell inside) then Data ▸ Sort Select the Amount column alone then sort

Sorting a single column disconnects the rows. Whole table: each name follows its amount.

What's next?

Score ≥ 80%: move on to Level 2 V3 (logical functions, lookup, dates — Wassim automates his closings).
Score between 50% and 80%: review the failed sections (value vs display in 1.1, parentheses in 1.2, COUNT vs COUNTA in 1.3, $E$1 in 1.4, whole-table sorting in 1.5), reread the explanations above, then retake the test.
Score < 50%: restart the level by running each template (type check 1.1, discount =B2*(1-C2) in 1.2, closing SUM/AVERAGE/MIN/MAX in 1.3, VAT =B2*$E$1 in 1.4, series + safe sorting in 1.5) on a real file.