A spreadsheet is a computer software program that allows you to collect and store information, do calculations, and make charts. It is much more powerful than a calculator. A spreadsheet is made up of columns and rows that form a grid. The intersection of a column and row is called a cell. Cells can contain numbers or text.

A spreadsheet will perform basic mathematical tasks such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. It can also perform financial and statistical operations, such as net present value or standard deviation.

To perform different mathematical tasks, a formula is entered into a cell. A formula usually contains mathematical symbols as wells as cell addresses. All calculations begin with an equal sign ("=").

Data on a spreadsheet can be used to produce graphic representations of the data, including bar charts or pie charts.