Activity
Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns series: Excel Formulas
Unlock the power of digital math with engaging activities to build Excel formulas using JAWS.
The Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns series is a 3-part collection of accessible lessons that guide students in exploring number patterns and using digital math tools. Part 1 focuses on navigating Excel with JAWS to access and interpret challenging number patterns. Part 2 guides students in identifying number patterns and writing algebraic equations, using accessible tools like JAWS with a Word document to support meaningful math learning. Part 3 teaches students how to use accessible Excel tools to identify patterns and apply formulas, building both algebraic thinking and digital math skills.
A previous post, Making Sense of Patterns with Algebraic Thinking sets the stage with the foundational Number Game activity.
Objective
- You will learn to create formulas in Excel with JAWS to understand challenging number patterns
Required digital tools
- JAWS screenreader installed in Windows
- Microsoft Excel
Creating large number patterns in Microsoft Excel
Let’s learn to create an Excel worksheet with the instructions for a number game. The advantage of using a digital tool such as the Excel sheet, we do not need to do the calculations for each of the numbers. Instead, we can use built-in formulas and functions available in MS Excel to create a large data set to interpret the pattern we are obtaining.
Download the accessible Word version (with accessible tables) of this post here.
Number Game in Excel
For the number game, we follow the instructions below:
- Think of a number
- Add 3
- Double
- Add 4
- Take away the number you started with
To do the above instructions in Excel, we need to first understand the row names and column names in Excel. An Excel worksheet has column names starting with “A” and row names starting with “1”. For example, the cell A2 means column A and row 2, and the cell D2 means column D and row 2.
We will do the above instructions of a number game in Excel using the formulas described in the table below. Watch the video to understand how to create a table, add formulas to Excel, and copy row 1 formulas to as many rows as you choose. As you will notice, the values in the F column are always 5. Now, change the number in A2 and observe what happens to all the other values. Check the values in the F column. Replace the number in A2 with a decimal number and observe again.
Excel Table 1:
(See the accessible Excel Table 1 in the Word document version of this post.)
Creating Large Data Set with Excel and JAWS video tutorial:
- Video transcript of creating an Excel worksheet, adding formulas, and autofill data to as many rows as needed with JAWS
- JAWS keyboard commands needed to create data in Excel.
Number Jumbler in Excel
Using the Number Jumbler, let’s learn to create an Excel worksheet with the instructions for the Number Jumbler. The advantage of using a digital tool such as the Excel sheet, we do not need to do the calculations for each of the numbers. Instead, we can use built-in formulas and functions available in MS Excel to create a large data set to interpret the pattern we are obtaining. Watch the Number Game video of creating a large data set with Excel and JAWS and create a table for the Number Jumbler game following the instructions below.
For the Number Jumbler, we followed:
- Choose any two-digit number
- Add together both the digits
- Then subtract the total (that you got from (b)) from the original number
We will do the above instructions of the number jumbler in Excel using the formulas described in the table below.
- ROUNDDOWN (number, 0) – This is a function in Excel. ROUNDDOWN (number,0) will help you round a decimal number down to the closest whole number. For example, ROUNDDOWN (34.6, 0) = 34. We will use this function to get the tens digit of a number.
- MOD (dividend, divisor) = remainder – This is a function in Excel. For example, MOD (94, 10) = 4. We will use this function to get the unit digit of a number.
You will notice that the values in column D are always multiples of 9. As you can see, it is easy to catch this pattern on Excel when we look at several numbers together.
Excel Table 2:
(See the accessible Excel Table 2 in the Word document version of this post.)
Reflection of Concept
With a digital tool like an Excel worksheet, you can create large sets of data and understand the pattern without having to do the manual calculation. In the number game, you will notice column “F” always has the number “5”. In the Number Jumbler, you will notice that column “D” will always have a number in the 9-multiplication table. Using digital tools will not only help us to quickly create large amounts of data, but interpretation of large number patterns becomes easier for checking if our algebraic thinking is correct or if there are any exceptions.
Extra Practice
- Create a data set in Excel following the instructions: multiply by 3, add 6, divide by 3, and subtract the original number. Is your final column always showing 2?
- The autofill feature is a powerful feature of MS Excel. Let’s try to create an interesting number series with this feature. Have you heard of the Fibonacci series? Each term in the series is created by adding the previous two terms in the series. The series goes like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …. Can you use MS Excel to generate the first 100 terms of the Fibonacci series?
Resources
Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns series:
- Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns: Excel with JAWS (Part 1)
- Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns: Algebraic Equations (Part 2)
- Creating and Analyzing Challenging Data Patterns: Excel Formulas (Part 3)
Additional Resources:
- Making sense of patterns with algebraic thinking (Number Game using JAWS and Microsoft Word)
- TEAM Initiative website page (Full list of TEAM Initiative digital math resources)
This post was created as part of the TEAM Initiative to support Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs) in teaching foundational technology skills—such as using Excel and other digital tools—through math lessons and video tutorials designed to help students access and succeed in digital math along side their peers.
Written by TSVI Anitha Muthukumaran and content expert, Kanchana Suryakumar. If you would like more information about the TEAM Initiative, contact Leslie Thatcher at [email protected].
Back to Paths to Technology’s Home page
