Formulas and functions
A formula is a calculation that begins with =. A function is a ready-made formula with a name, such as =SUM(B2:B5). Paper 1 often shows a small table and asks which formula goes in the total cell: the right function with the right range.
By the end of this page you can
- Write formulas with + − * / and brackets
- Use SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT and COUNTA
- Use IF, COUNTIF, VLOOKUP, PMT and DATE
- Work out a formula in the right order
- Choose the right formula for a task
Goals tick themselves off as you try the activities below.
Photo: Arlo Barnes, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to the formula bar and cells, JPEG q80.
The cell shows the answer; the formula bar shows the formula behind it.
How often it shows up in past papers
All papers10 of 14 papers
Last 54 of 5 · 2019–2025
Paper 1 counts come from our past-paper bank of CSEC Information Technology Paper 1s. The last-5 row shows how often it came up in the five most recent papers.
Inside this topic
- Formulas and functionsLocked
- Order of operationsgameLocked
- Key termsLocked
- Test yourselfmarkedLocked
- Practise for real · 2 past questionsLocked