Use the “Text to Columns” function! Let’s say this is your data:

Select the data you want to use…

For more information on Data Analysis tools, please visit The Commons Blog.

1. Average, Count, and Sum appear on the bottom of your window when you select 2 or more cells.
   *Note: On a PC, all three show up in a row; on a Mac, you can choose which one to see with the down arrow for the drop-down menu.
2.  To get the sum of a set of numbers: in a cell type:
   =SUM(whatever cells or range of cells you need)
   and press Enter
3. To get the mean or average of a set of numbers: in a cell type:
   =AVERAGE(whatever cells or range of cells you need)
   and press Enter
4. To raise a number to a degree (such as square it, cube it, etc): in a cell type:
   =(the number or the cell you select)^(2)
   and press Enter
5. To take a square root of a number: in a cell type:
   =SQRT(the number or the cell you select)
   and press Enter
6. To find the standard deviation of a dataset: in a cell type:
   =STDEV(whatever cells or range of cells you need)
   and press Enter

*Another note: if you need to make calculations on different cells, you can select one at a time using Ctrl click (Command click on Macs).

For more information on Data Analysis tools, please visit The Commons Blog.

If your data is a mess, you can easily sort in is ascending and descending order. You can also Filter it to show you only certain values. These two functions work both with numbers and text.

For more information on Data Analysis tools, please visit The Commons Blog.