EXCEL CRASH COURSE EXAM
LATEST 2025-2026
FROM WALL STREET PRE P
QUESTIONS AN D ANSWERS
Disabling the Start Screen and adding more worksheets on startup - ANSWERS-click
on 'Blank worksheet'
Hit *Alt f t* go go to Excel options (you can also get there by clicking the file tab)
Under 'General' unselect "Show the Start screen when this application starts"
password protecting files - ANSWERS-File
Info
password protect files: "Encrypt with Password"
password protect individual worksheet (so that people can't see or edit formulas):
"Protect Current Sheet"
highlighting columns and rows - ANSWERS-columns: *Ctrl Spacebar*
rows: *Shift Spacebar*
widening columns and rows - ANSWERS-highlight column by pressing *Ctrl Spacebar*
*Alt h o i* to auto-fit the column width
,-if you want a column to have a certain width, press *Alt h o w* and enter the desired
width
highlight row by pressing Shift Spacebar
*Alt h o a* to auto-fit the row height
-if you want a row to have a certain height, press *Alt h o h* and enter the desired height
format cells - ANSWERS-*Ctrl 1* pulls up the 'Format Cells' menu
navigating the 'Format Cells' menu - ANSWERS-after hitting Ctrl 1 to pull up the 'Format
Cells' menu, you can navigate around tabs by hitting *Ctrl tab*
each category within a tab can be accessed by pressing *Alt* and the appropriate
underlined letter, or by hitting *tab* to move clockwise and *shift tab* to move counter
clockwise
when on the desired tab, horizontal alignment can be accessed through *Alt h* and
vertical alignment through *Alt v*
paste special - ANSWERS-*Alt v s t* or *Alt e s t*
changing zoom size - ANSWERS-*Alt w q* or *Alt v z*
Move/copy a tab - ANSWERS-*Alt h o m*
freezing panes - ANSWERS-click the cell BELOW the desired row and to the RIGHT of
the desired column where you want to freeze panes and hit *Alt w f f*
to unfreeze panes: press *Alt w f f* again
splitting panes - ANSWERS-splitting panes allows users to scroll in both areas of the
worksheet, while rows and columns in the non-scrolled area remain visible
to split panes:
-click the cell BELOW the desired row and to the RIGHT of the desired column where
you want to split panes and hit *Alt w s*
-to unspilt panes, click *Alt w s* again
-press *F6* to move from pane to pane in a clockwise direction; press *Shift F6* to
move from pane to pane in a counter-clockwise direction
manipulating data inside a cell - ANSWERS-*F2* is the command that puts you inside a
cell:
-pressing the F2 key once shows you the components of the formula you created
earlier, puts you inside a cell and enables you to navigate through it to edit the existing
cell data
, -pressing the F2 key twice activates the cursor and enables you to move to different
cells, worksheets, and even other open Excel files
*Shift arrow key* will highlight characters one at a time
*Shift Ctrl arrow key* will highlight contiguous ranges of characters
deleting and clearing cell data - ANSWERS-hitting *Delete* does NOT delete the
formatting in the cell
to truly delete a cell:
-*Alt h e* (Home tab > Clear)
-from the drop-down, chose the appropriate actions
*(Alt h e) a*: clears ALL contents of the cell
*(Alt h e) f*: clears only the cell FORMAT
*(Alt h e) c*: clears only the cell CONTENT
-this is the same as hitting Delete
*(Alt h e) m*: clears only the cell COMMENTS
right and down fills - ANSWERS-highlight the range
*Ctrl R* tells Excel to look at the LEFTMOST column of a range of highlighted cells and
copy and paste the inputs and formulas in that column to all the columns to the right
*Ctrl D* does the same thing for rows that Ctrl R does for columns, telling Excel to look
at the topmost row of a range of highlighted cells and to copy and paste the inputs and
formulas in that row down to all the rows below it
inserting comments - ANSWERS-enter the cell and type *Shift F2*
hit *Esc* twice to exit the comment area
to edit an existing comment: go to the cell and press *Shift F2*
to delete a comment: press *Alt h e am*
inserting rows - ANSWERS-highlight the row BELOW the row where you want to add a
row
press *Shift spacebar* to highlight the entire row
press *Ctrl Shift +* to insert the row
note:
Excel will insert the row ABOVE the row that is highlighted
LATEST 2025-2026
FROM WALL STREET PRE P
QUESTIONS AN D ANSWERS
Disabling the Start Screen and adding more worksheets on startup - ANSWERS-click
on 'Blank worksheet'
Hit *Alt f t* go go to Excel options (you can also get there by clicking the file tab)
Under 'General' unselect "Show the Start screen when this application starts"
password protecting files - ANSWERS-File
Info
password protect files: "Encrypt with Password"
password protect individual worksheet (so that people can't see or edit formulas):
"Protect Current Sheet"
highlighting columns and rows - ANSWERS-columns: *Ctrl Spacebar*
rows: *Shift Spacebar*
widening columns and rows - ANSWERS-highlight column by pressing *Ctrl Spacebar*
*Alt h o i* to auto-fit the column width
,-if you want a column to have a certain width, press *Alt h o w* and enter the desired
width
highlight row by pressing Shift Spacebar
*Alt h o a* to auto-fit the row height
-if you want a row to have a certain height, press *Alt h o h* and enter the desired height
format cells - ANSWERS-*Ctrl 1* pulls up the 'Format Cells' menu
navigating the 'Format Cells' menu - ANSWERS-after hitting Ctrl 1 to pull up the 'Format
Cells' menu, you can navigate around tabs by hitting *Ctrl tab*
each category within a tab can be accessed by pressing *Alt* and the appropriate
underlined letter, or by hitting *tab* to move clockwise and *shift tab* to move counter
clockwise
when on the desired tab, horizontal alignment can be accessed through *Alt h* and
vertical alignment through *Alt v*
paste special - ANSWERS-*Alt v s t* or *Alt e s t*
changing zoom size - ANSWERS-*Alt w q* or *Alt v z*
Move/copy a tab - ANSWERS-*Alt h o m*
freezing panes - ANSWERS-click the cell BELOW the desired row and to the RIGHT of
the desired column where you want to freeze panes and hit *Alt w f f*
to unfreeze panes: press *Alt w f f* again
splitting panes - ANSWERS-splitting panes allows users to scroll in both areas of the
worksheet, while rows and columns in the non-scrolled area remain visible
to split panes:
-click the cell BELOW the desired row and to the RIGHT of the desired column where
you want to split panes and hit *Alt w s*
-to unspilt panes, click *Alt w s* again
-press *F6* to move from pane to pane in a clockwise direction; press *Shift F6* to
move from pane to pane in a counter-clockwise direction
manipulating data inside a cell - ANSWERS-*F2* is the command that puts you inside a
cell:
-pressing the F2 key once shows you the components of the formula you created
earlier, puts you inside a cell and enables you to navigate through it to edit the existing
cell data
, -pressing the F2 key twice activates the cursor and enables you to move to different
cells, worksheets, and even other open Excel files
*Shift arrow key* will highlight characters one at a time
*Shift Ctrl arrow key* will highlight contiguous ranges of characters
deleting and clearing cell data - ANSWERS-hitting *Delete* does NOT delete the
formatting in the cell
to truly delete a cell:
-*Alt h e* (Home tab > Clear)
-from the drop-down, chose the appropriate actions
*(Alt h e) a*: clears ALL contents of the cell
*(Alt h e) f*: clears only the cell FORMAT
*(Alt h e) c*: clears only the cell CONTENT
-this is the same as hitting Delete
*(Alt h e) m*: clears only the cell COMMENTS
right and down fills - ANSWERS-highlight the range
*Ctrl R* tells Excel to look at the LEFTMOST column of a range of highlighted cells and
copy and paste the inputs and formulas in that column to all the columns to the right
*Ctrl D* does the same thing for rows that Ctrl R does for columns, telling Excel to look
at the topmost row of a range of highlighted cells and to copy and paste the inputs and
formulas in that row down to all the rows below it
inserting comments - ANSWERS-enter the cell and type *Shift F2*
hit *Esc* twice to exit the comment area
to edit an existing comment: go to the cell and press *Shift F2*
to delete a comment: press *Alt h e am*
inserting rows - ANSWERS-highlight the row BELOW the row where you want to add a
row
press *Shift spacebar* to highlight the entire row
press *Ctrl Shift +* to insert the row
note:
Excel will insert the row ABOVE the row that is highlighted
