MS Excel and MS PowerPoint Basics: Workbook, Cell, Formulas, Functions, Charts, Slides and Shortcut Keys for SSC
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.MS Excel: Basic Terms
- 2.Formulas and Functions
- 3.Cell References
- 4.Common Excel Features
- 5.Excel Shortcut Keys
- 6.MS PowerPoint: Basic Terms
- 7.PowerPoint Views
- 8.Transitions and Animations
- 9.PowerPoint Shortcut Keys
- 10.Solved Examples
- 11.Quick Tips
- 12.Quick Revision Points
- 13.Practice Questions With Answers
- 14.How to Practise This Chapter
- 15.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: MS Excel and MS PowerPoint Basics: Workbook, Cell, Formulas, Functions, Charts, Slides and Shortcut Keys for SSC
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MS Excel and MS PowerPoint are asked in every computer awareness section. This guide on MS Excel and PowerPoint basics for SSC covers the main terms, the formulas and functions, charts, the PowerPoint views, transitions and animations and the shortcut keys, with solved examples, practice questions and FAQs. For MS Word and the other basics, see the MS Office Basics note.
MS Excel: Basic Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Workbook | An Excel file (.xlsx); contains one or more worksheets |
| Worksheet (spreadsheet) | A grid of rows and columns; the default workbook has one sheet in the newer versions |
| Cell | The intersection of a row and a column, such as B3 |
| Cell address (reference) | Column letter followed by the row number |
| Rows and columns | 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns (A to XFD) in the recent versions |
| Active cell | The selected cell where the data is entered |
| Name box | Shows the address of the active cell |
| Formula bar | Shows the content (data or formula) of the active cell |
| Range | A group of cells, such as A1:A10 |
Formulas and Functions
A formula begins with the equals sign (=). A function is a built-in formula.
| Function | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| SUM | Adds the numbers | =SUM(A1:A10) |
| AVERAGE | Finds the mean | =AVERAGE(B1:B5) |
| MAX, MIN | Highest and lowest value | =MAX(C1:C20) |
| COUNT | Counts the cells with numbers | =COUNT(A1:A10) |
| COUNTA | Counts the non-empty cells | =COUNTA(A1:A10) |
| IF | Checks a condition | =IF(A1>=40,"Pass","Fail") |
| ROUND | Rounds a number | =ROUND(3.14159,2) |
| VLOOKUP | Searches a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from the same row | =VLOOKUP(E1,A1:C10,2,FALSE) |
| CONCATENATE (or &) | Joins the text | =A1&" "&B1 |
| TODAY, NOW | Current date; current date and time | =TODAY() |
| LEN, UPPER, LOWER | Text length; change case | =LEN(A1) |
Cell References
| Type | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Relative | A1 | Changes when the formula is copied to another cell |
| Absolute | $A$1 | Does not change when copied (press F4 to toggle) |
| Mixed | $A1 or A$1 | Only the row or the column is fixed |
Operators follow the BODMAS order: brackets, exponent (^), multiplication and division, addition and subtraction. For example =2+3*4 gives 14.
Common Excel Features
- Auto Fill: drag the small square (fill handle) at the corner of a cell to copy data or extend a series.
- Sort and Filter: arrange data in ascending or descending order; show only the rows that meet a condition.
- Charts: column, bar, line, pie, scatter and area charts; select the data and choose Insert → Chart.
- Freeze Panes: keep the top rows or left columns visible while scrolling.
- Conditional formatting: change the look of a cell based on its value.
- PivotTable: summarises large data.
- Merge and Center: combines the selected cells into one.
- Text is left-aligned and numbers are right-aligned by default.
- If a column is too narrow for a number, the cell shows ####.
Excel Shortcut Keys
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N, Ctrl + O, Ctrl + S | New, open and save |
| F2 | Edit the active cell |
| F4 | Toggle absolute reference or repeat the last action |
| Alt + = | AutoSum |
| Ctrl + ; | Insert today’s date |
| Ctrl + Shift + : | Insert the current time |
| Ctrl + Arrow keys | Move to the edge of the data region |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to cell A1 |
| Ctrl + Space, Shift + Space | Select the column; select the row |
| Ctrl + 1 | Format cells |
| Shift + F11 | Insert a new worksheet |
MS PowerPoint: Basic Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Presentation | A PowerPoint file (.pptx) |
| Slide | A single page of a presentation |
| Layout | The arrangement of the title, text and objects on a slide |
| Slide master | The slide that controls the design of all the slides |
| Theme and template | The colours, fonts and layout; template file .potx |
| Slide show file | .ppsx opens directly in the slide show view |
| Placeholder | A box on a slide where the text or the object goes |
| Notes | Speaker notes below the slide |
PowerPoint Views
| View | Use |
|---|---|
| Normal view | The main editing view with the slide pane, thumbnails and notes |
| Slide Sorter | Shows the thumbnails of all slides; for the arrangement and the deleting of slides |
| Notes Page | Shows a slide with its notes for printing |
| Reading View | Shows the presentation in a window |
| Slide Show | Full-screen presentation view |
Transitions and Animations
- Transition: the effect used when moving from one slide to the next (fade, push, wipe).
- Animation: the effect applied to the text or objects on a slide (entrance, emphasis, exit and motion paths).
- Animation pane shows the order of the animations.
- The Insert tab is used to add pictures, tables, charts, shapes, SmartArt, video and audio.
PowerPoint Shortcut Keys
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| F5 | Start the slide show from the beginning |
| Shift + F5 | Start the slide show from the current slide |
| Ctrl + M | Insert a new slide |
| Esc | Exit the slide show |
| Ctrl + D | Duplicate a slide or an object |
| B or W during the show | Black or white screen |
| Page Up, Page Down | Previous and next slide |
Solved Examples
Example 1. What is the result of =SUM(2,3,5)?
10.
Example 2. What is the result of =2+3*4?
14 (multiplication first).
Example 3. Which key makes a cell reference absolute?
F4.
Example 4. Which key starts the slide show in PowerPoint?
F5.
Quick Tips
- Remember that all Excel formulas start with =.
- Remember F4 for the absolute reference and F5 for the slide show.
- Remember the order of operations.
- Know the difference between a transition and an animation.
Quick Revision Points
- An Excel file is a workbook (.xlsx); a PowerPoint file is a presentation (.pptx).
- Cell address = column letter + row number.
- SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT and IF are the basic functions.
- A transition is between slides; an animation is on an object.
- F5 starts the slide show.
Practice Questions With Answers
- What is the extension of an Excel file?
Answer: .xlsx - What is a cell address made of?
Answer: Column letter and row number - What symbol does a formula start with?
Answer: Equals (=) - Which function adds the numbers in a range?
Answer: SUM - Which key makes a reference absolute?
Answer: F4 - Which view shows all the slides as thumbnails?
Answer: Slide Sorter view - What is the extension of a PowerPoint file?
Answer: .pptx - What is the shortcut for a new slide?
Answer: Ctrl + M - What is the effect between two slides called?
Answer: Transition - What does #### in a cell mean?
Answer: The column is too narrow to show the number
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Computer Awareness notes page, read the previous topic Computer Memory, Storage and Units and the next topic Digital Payments, Social Media and Cyber Safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Excel?
A spreadsheet program of MS Office used for calculations and data analysis.
What is a workbook?
An Excel file, made of one or more worksheets.
What is a cell?
The intersection of a row and a column in a worksheet.
What is a formula?
An expression starting with = that does a calculation.
What is a function?
A ready-made formula like SUM or AVERAGE.
What is an absolute reference?
A cell reference with $ signs that does not change when the formula is copied.
What is PowerPoint?
A program of MS Office for making presentations.
What is a slide?
A single page of a presentation.
What is the difference between a transition and an animation?
A transition is the effect between slides; an animation is an effect on an object within a slide.
Is this topic asked in SSC?
Yes. MS Excel and PowerPoint are regularly asked in the computer awareness section.
How many rows does Excel have?
1,048,576 rows in the recent versions.
What is the slide master?
The slide that sets the design for all the slides.
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Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.