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Excel Candy Lesson

A printable copy of the lesson can be found here.

This activity was adapted from http://www.reviseict.co.uk/lessons/excel/task1.htm.

Open Excel and create the basic spreadsheet below. You are going to create a "computer model".
First, select cell C4 and type in how much you think a piece of Bazooka Bubble Gum will cost. Make this any number between $0.01 and $0.95. Repeat this with your estimations of prices until you have the imaginary cost of all items. Be careful when entering the information - just enter the numbers and remember to set the cell format for currency.
In column D, type in the following numbers:
20, 10, 8, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11
Using your knowledge of formulas, create a formula in column E to show the total costs for each type of candy. Make sure you show the answers in "currency" format (go to format and cells).
If you have completed this correctly, you will be able to change the numbers in columns C and D and see the results in column E. Try this - change the price of M&Ms to $1.10.
You have created a basic "computer model" - you are using Excel to calculate or model what would happen if you bought a certain number of candies at a certain price. Now, add a formula to cell E15 that will calculate the total cost of all the candy and a formula in cell E18 that gives the average cost of a type of candy per package.
Make a bar graph of the relative cost per unit of all the candy. Select the data in columns B and C that will be used in your graph. Insert a bar graph in a new worksheet and use the images in the Resources Folder to customize your bar graph.
Make a pie graph in a new worksheet of the relative total costs of the candy. Select the data in columns B and E that will be used in your graph. – remember to hold down the Control Key to select your columns. Use the images in the Resources Folder to customize your pie graph.
Rename Sheet 1 to Data. Delete the unused sheets. You should now have only 3 sheets – 2 of them will contain graphs and the third is your data chart.
When you finish – Save your spreadsheet to you’re My Documents folder and then drag it to the classwork folder into your period and the folder marked Excel Candy.