Calculating with Numbers and plotting the results

         Use basic formulae to work with data and then chart the results

IN THE PREVIOUS TUTORIAL, WE WORKED THROUGH

the basics of creating a table and Riling it with content. Of course, much of the point ofspreadsheets is not in merely displaying information but in manipulating and processing data. In the walkthrough here we look at two features of Numbers that do just that.

The first feature is the use ofa formula - in our example, to calculate an average from a column of numbers. Of course this is one of the most basic formulae you can use in a spreadsheet, but what we're interested in is how the process works in Numbers.

The second feature is the ability to link a chart to a table. With charts that are dynamically updated, Numbers makes displaying data in a visually appealing way both easy and quick, and it's worth noting that you can potentially save yourself even more time. When you create a new spreadsheet, take a good look at the 15 templates supplied as they can be readily adapted to your needs. Examples Apple has provided foryou to experimentwith include a combined weight-loss and running log, documents related to office administration (invoices, expenses, employee schedules) and a mortgage calculator.

While working on the walkthrough, we noticed that fields would occasionally 'forget' values and semi-randomly revert to being blank. Hitting the 'Home' button, relaunching Numbers and opening the spreadsheet again seemed to deal with this. 

KIT LIST:

■ IPad

■ Numbers for iPad

Time required: 15 mins 

Difficulty: Intermediate

Charting your data

Charts can be linked to tables or portions of tables, and they dynamically update as you add more data.

Adding formulae

Although most people get by with basic formulae when using spreadsheets, Numbers provides scope for spreadsheet gurus with more demanding needs.

Intelligent keyboard

The Numbers keyboard changes to match the type of data you're inputting, providing access to relevant commands and characters.

 

 1 Create a table Set up a two-column table akin to the one in the previous tutorial, but ignore step 3 and leave header columns in place. In the 'Headers' tab of the Info menu, set 'Footer Rows' to 1.

2 Define the columns Set the format ofthe left-hand column to a date with no time (see step 6 ofthe previous tutorial) and the weight column to the number format with one decimal point.

 3 Enter data Input values into the columns as shown. Enter 'Average weight' on the bottom left and right-align it using the 'Cells'tab ofthe Info menu.  

 

4 Add a formula Double-tap the bottom right cell and tap the '=' button. To find the average, tap 'SUM' and type '+12'. Tap the tick mark to finish.

 5 Make the footer stand out Tap the left  cell, drag the selection to cover both cells, select 'Cells', tap 'Fill Color' and select a colour.

 6 Add a chart from the Insert button, select the 'Charts' tab and the type of chart to link to your table. You can swipe to see additional choices.

 Quick change

 If you need to to change some specific values in your tables, it's good to make use of the find-and-replace functionality within Numbers (and, indeed, throughout the iWorks suite). Select 'Find' from the Tools menu, and tap the cog icon to access the 'Find' options. Tap 'Find and Replace', type your terms into the two fields provided, and then tap 'Replace'.

7 Link the chart Double-tap the chart, then tap the weight column's header. Numbers should automatically plot all of the values. If not, move the drag handle at the bottom right.

8 Improve the layout With layouts that involve a table and chart, it's often better to use your iPad in landscape view and resize the page components so they take up more of the screen.