A spreadsheet is a software program you use to easily perform mathematical calculations on statistical data and totaling long columns of numbers or determining percentages and averages.
And if any of the raw numbers you put into your spreadsheet should change – like if you obtain final figures to substitute for preliminary ones for example – the spreadsheet will update all the calculations you’ve performed based on the new numbers.
You also can use a spreadsheet to generate data visualizations like charts to display the statistical information you’ve compiled on a website.
This tutorial will focus on the use of the free application Google Spreadsheets. To use Google Spreadsheets, you will need to sign up for a free Google account. There are other spreadsheet software you can purchase, like Microsoft Excel. While this tutorial will focus primarily on Google Spreadsheet, most of its lessons will be applicable to any spreadsheet software, including Excel.
