Actsmart SchoolsEnergy Years 5-6

How to use an Excel spreadsheet to sort data and add graphsSpreadsheets (Excel or Googlesheet) are a helpful tool for examining data.This data set shows the average rainfall for Australia and the world for each 10-year period since 1910. I’m interested in knowing which year had the highest rainfall and which had the lowest rainfall both for Australia and the world; how Australia’s rainfall compares with that of the world; and what patterns there are in the amount of rain that we get – is it increasing or decreasing over time? and so on. I’m going to put it into a spreadsheet to help me find the answers to those questions.

Annual rainfall

Years Australian average (mm)

Global average (mm)

1910 – 1919 444.23 1018.331920 – 1929 426.85 1032.051930 – 1939 417.38 1025.011940 – 1949 429.83 1024.571950 – 1959 459.02 1050.341960 – 1969 423.53 1035.331970 – 1979 517.88 1040.681980 – 1989 459.30 1025.021990 – 1999 478.01 1025.402000 – 2009 488.13 1043.322010 – 2019 524.39 1043.49

1. Open up a new Excel document2. Either copy and paste the table into the spreadsheet, or type the information

in. If you copy and paste, you might need to adjust the column width so you can read all the information before you go on

3. To sort the data with the Australian average arranged from largest to smallest:

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Highlight the whole table, including the headings.

Move your cursor up to the top right hand corner and click on the sort and filter button, select the custom sort option from the drop down list.

In the dialog box, next to the words Sort by, click on the down pointing arrow to see the drop down list – select Australian average.

Use the drop down list under Sort on to see what other options you have there – you want values this time.

Use the drop down list under Order to see what other options you have there – you want Largest to Smallest this time.

Click OKThe data should sort itself out so that the Australian average is arranged from smallest to largest and you should now be able to easily read the highest rainfall and the years that happened, and the lowest rainfall and when that happened.

Actsmart SchoolsEnergy Years 5-6

You could go through the process again, this time sorting using the Global average column so that data is arranged in order.You can sort like this to put information in numerical order from highest to lowest, or lowest to highest; you can sort based on the colours of the cells in your table; and you can put information into alphabetical order.

Use the sort function to put the data back in order of years.

4. To add a graph:

Highlight the information you want on the graph.

Move your cursor up to the top of the page and click on the INSERT tab, then click on Recommended Charts.

When the dialog box comes up, it will be on the Recommended Charts tab. Click on the All Charts tab.

From the menu on the right-hand side, choose Line and select the first line graph from the samples along the top of the page.

Click OK in the bottom right corner.

Your graph should appear on your

Actsmart SchoolsEnergy Years 5-6

spreadsheet.

You can move it around, change the size, title, colours, and copy and paste it into another document.

You can do another graph for Global average (to highlight two columns that aren’t next to each other, highlight the first column with years in it, then hold down the Ctrl key and highlight the second column with Global averages in it) or you can do a graph with both sets of information on it – highlight all three columns to start with.