What is a Spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet is an electronic worksheet that stores data in rows and columns. An individual cell may contain “numerical values, words or character data, and formulas or calculation commands“. Formulas are used to perform instant numerical operations which make it possible for a student to compare data and explore changes with instant visual results.  Charts and graphs can be supplemented to enhance the organization and evaluation of the work.  The educational advantages of spreadsheets include:

• Performing numerical operations with visual representation for concrete learning.
• Enhancing a student’s projects with graphs, charts, and data display.
• Encouraging higher level thinking and “what if” problem solving by allowing functions to   complete low level arithmetic.
• Helping students track data from assignments/projects.
• Permitting students to keep track of their grades in order to predict outcomes and     encourage goal setting.

Spreadsheets took place in the 1960s. As early as 1964, Richard Mattessich at the University of California published a spreadsheet program written in FORTRAN. The first commercially successful electronic spreadsheet was invented in 1979 by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston. It was called VisiCalc and was written to run on Apple II computers. It enhanced the popularity of the Apple II, which became a tool for creating home and business budgets.