1 Spreadsheet Data Foundations Free Online FlashCards

How should records and fields be arranged in a spreadsheet table?

Use one row per record and one column per field.

Does changing a cell's number format necessarily change its stored value?

Formatting controls how a value appears; it does not necessarily change the stored value.

What should you check after importing or pasting spreadsheet data?

Check whether dates and numbers were interpreted as intended; values that look numeric or date-like may be stored as text.

How can consistent entries and missing values improve spreadsheet data?

Use consistent spelling, capitalization, units, and date conventions within each field. Represent missing values consistently and document what a blank means.

Why can extra spaces cause problems when comparing spreadsheet text?

Extra spaces or hidden characters can make otherwise identical text values differ and fail to match in comparisons.

What should you do with inconsistent labels for the same intended category?

Standardize labels that are intended to represent the same category, such as “NY” and “New York.”

How should you decide whether two spreadsheet rows are duplicates?

Check duplicates against the fields that identify a record. Rows with the same customer name may still represent different orders.

What precaution should you take before irreversible data-cleaning edits?

Keep an unchanged copy of important source data before making irreversible edits.

What does the cell reference `B3` identify?

A cell reference points to a cell for use in a formula. `B3` identifies the cell in column B, row 3.

What does the colon mean in a range such as `A1:A5`?

A range is a group of cells. The colon means from the first cell through the last, including the cells between them.

How do relative, absolute, and mixed references behave when copied?

A relative reference, such as `A2`, adjusts when copied. An absolute reference, `$A$2`, keeps both row and column fixed; a mixed reference, `$A2` or `A$2`, fixes only one.

Why avoid blank rows, blank columns, and merged cells within a data table?

They can interfere with selecting, sorting, or analyzing the full data list.