Excel: using a formula to fill a column

Next step is with excel we are going to square the "time" values in column B and put that in column C.

1: Let us name the column C as time-square.

2: The name "time-square" has spread into two columns, let us make the name is within the column C. Move the mouse pointer and place it on the line between C and D. Now the mouse pointer changes into a cross as in the figure below.

excel column3 title accomodate the title

3: Now click - hold and drag the mouse to the right to increase the width of the cell.

4: First, we will square the first number in the column B, which is 0.293. The number is in the B2 cell.

Place the mouse pointer on the C2 cell, and click the mouse once to select the cell, you will see a green rectangle encloses the cell.

5: Now, move the mouse pointer to the "Formula Bar" pointed by the red arrow.

6: Click the mouse and put an equal sign in the formula bar with your keyboard.

We are squaring the number in cell B2 and putting that in the cell C2. So, move the mouse to the cell B2 and click once. Now, you will see B2 in the "Formula Bar" and also in the cell C2.

Caution: Don't do unnecessary mouse click(s) as that will mess the things up.

excel-mouse-over-formula-equal-sign-first-data

7: Next, we need to square B2 (i.e., squaring the number in B2 cell). To square put ^2 after B2 in the "Formula Bar".

excel-mouse-over-formula-equal-sign-first-data-square

8: Now, press the "Enter" key in your keyboard, you should see the square of the number (0.293) in the cell C2. Note that the mouse cursor should be after the last character in the "Formula Bar", i.e., after 2 before you press the "Enter" key. If you moved the mouse pointer away for some reason, then move the mouse pointer back to the "Formula Bar" and place after the last character and click once, then press "Enter".

excel-mouse-over-formula-equal-sign-first-data-square-enter

Now, we are almost done, there is one more step to fill the rest of the column.

9: Move the mouse to the cell C2 and click once to select the cell. You will see a green rectangle border encloses that cell.

10: Next, move the mouse over to the right bottom corner of the rectangle. If the mouse is at the corner, the mouse pointer appears a + sign.

Now, double click the mouse, the remaining cells of the column will be populated. [Instead of double clicking, you can also populate the rest of the column by click - hold and drag the mouse down until the seventh row, then release the mouse].

excel-mouse-over-first-squared-column-filled

Actually, we used a formula $f(t)=t^2$ to populate the column $C$, where $t$ values are in column $B$ and the function, $f(t)$ values are in column $C$. If you want to fill a column with any other formula, you should follow the same procedure.