Lock a rate cell with $
Step 1 of 3
The tax rate sits in one cell, F1. Every row needs it, so every formula in column C has to point at that same cell.
Click Continue when you're ready.
Already know it? Type the formula straight into C2.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Price | Tax | Tax rate | 0.25 | ||
| 2 | Desk | 240 | |||||
| 3 | Chair | 120 | |||||
| 4 | Lamp | 36 | |||||
| 5 | Shelf | 88 | |||||
| 6 | |||||||
| 7 | |||||||
| 8 |
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Why this works
B2 has no $, so when you fill C2 down, C3 reads B3, C4 reads B4 and so on. $F$1 has a $ in front of the column and the row, so every row reads the same rate. The desk costs 240, and 240 × 0.25 = 60.
Common mistake: Leaving F1 relative. C2 is right, but C3 reads F2, which is empty, so every row below gets 0.
The answer
- C2
=B2*$F$1
It locks the part of the reference it stands in front of. $F$1 always points at F1, however far you fill or copy the formula. Without $, the reference moves with the formula.
Press F4 (Fn+F4 on many laptops, Cmd+T on a Mac) while the cursor is on a reference. Each press cycles through $F$1, F$1, $F1 and F1.
+10 points