Apple numbers User Manual

 Using Formulas and Functions in Tables

 

You can use the Formula Bar when you want to edit a formula.

Select a table cell that contains a formula. 

The formula is displayed in the text field of the Formula Bar, and its arguments are 
highlighted in color. 

Click in the Formula Bar, and make changes as required. You can use the arrow keys to 
move the insertion point around in the text field.

To save changes, press Return, press Enter, or click the Accept button in the Formula 
Bar.

To discard changes, press Esc or click the Cancel button in the Formula Bar.

You use cell references to identify specific cells in formulas. For example, if you add a 
formula that averages the values in two cells, you use cell references to identify those 
cells. The cells can be in the same table as the cell with the formula, or they can be in 
another table on the same or a different sheet.

You can create cell references using the letters and numbers of reference tabs or using 
header cell names:

 If your table has both a header row and a header column, you can identify a cell 

using the column name followed by the row name.

For example, if a column is named 2006 and a row is named Class Enrollment, the 
cell where the row and column intersect would be referred to as 2006 Class 
Enrollment.

 You can use the letters and numbers of reference tabs to identify a specific cell. You 

specify the column letter and then the row number.

For example, C55 refers to the fifty-fifth row in the third column.

To insert a cell reference, you can click a cell, click a reference tab, or select a range of 
cells when there’s an insertion point in the text field of the Formula Editor or the 
Formula Bar. You can also insert a cell reference by typing it.  

When you insert a cell reference by selecting cells or reference tabs, Numbers adds cell 
references that use header cell names if “Use header cell names as references” is 
selected in the General pane of Numbers preferences. 

When you type a cell reference that includes the name of a header cell, table, or sheet, 
Numbers displays a list of suggestions that match what you’ve started to type. You can 
select from the list or continue typing.