You may have realized that the M&M company fills the candy bags according to weight. However, they assure us that there is a formula they use to determine how many of each color go into a bag. We will examine the data collected in your database for patterns by calculating the average number of candies per color that a bag of M&M holds as well as the percentage of those colors to the total number of M&Ms placed in the bag.

Your will use the data collected in your database to complete a spreadsheet, calculate the total number of candies, the average number of candies per color, and the percentage. 

The spreadsheet will be developed using the AppleWorks application located on the launcher of your computer.  Open AppleWorks and select Spreadsheet from the Starting Points menu.

Terms to know:

• Cells: The small boxes on a spreadsheet, where the data (text or numbers) is stored. When you click inside a cell it will select that information, and the cell will be surrounded by a dotted border.
• Cell Address: the intersection of a column letter and a row number
• Columns: the data that runs vertically down a spreadsheet, columns are identified by letters
• Data Entry Bar: the blank line at the top of the spreadsheet where the data is entered,  the cell address appears to the left of the line
• Rows: the data that goes horizontally (across) the spreadsheet, rows are identified by numbers

 

• Once you have opened the spreadsheet application, Click and drag from cell A1 to cell G10 to select the area for your data.
• Return to the Database with Window>[yoursectionnumber][yourlastname]cb and choose Layout>List to view the information in your database.
• Select the data by dragging the mouse over all of the columns and all of the rows. Use Edit>Copy to copy the information onto the clipboard.
• Return to the Spreadsheet window and use Edit>Paste to paste the data into the selected area of your spreadsheet. Remember that for the copy>paste process to work successfully, the area selected on the spreadsheet must be the same size (columns and rows) as the area copied from the database.
• To type in the field descriptor labels, we insert a row above the data. Click on the number 1 in the row name column, then choose Format>Insert Cells. The spreadsheet will insert a row of blank cells above your data.
• Click inside Cell A1 and enter the word "Name" in the data entry bar.
• The data will appear in your cell on the spreadsheet by: 1) pressing the return/enter key or 2) clicking another cell in the spreadsheet.
• Repeat the process until you have placed descriptors at the head of all the columns.

• Press Tab to move one cell to the right.
• Click inside the cell you want to work with.
• Press Shift and Tab together to move one cell to the left.
• Press Return to move down one cell.
• Press Shift and Return together to move up one cell.
• Use the arrow keys to move around the spreadsheet.
• Choose Go to Cell from the Options menu and type in a cell address.

Calculating the Total Number of Candies, the Average, and the Percentage:

• Click on Cell H1. Type in the descriptor "Total".
• Click on Cell H2. We will enter a formula for calculating the total number of candies collected by the student in row 2. Enter the formula and hit return. Remember: All formulas begin with the = sign.
• Insert the formula in all the rows by clicking on cell H2 and dragging the mouse down the column to select all the rows.
• Select Calculate>Fill Down from the menu bar.
• To calculate the average, add a row to the bottom of the spreadsheet by typing in the word Average to Cell A11. Hit tab and insert a function in Cell B11 for the average. Hit return.
• Insert the formula in all the columns by clicking on cell B11 and dragging the mouse across the row to select all the columns.
• Select Calculate>Fill Right from the menu bar.
• To calculate the percentage, add a row to the bottom of the spreadsheet by typing in the word Percentage to Cell A12. Hit tab and insert a function in Cell B12 for the percentage. Hit return.
• Repeat the process of inerting a formula in each of the columns for percentage.
• Format the cells for percentage by selecting the row and choosing Format>Number>Percentage from the menu bar.

Making the Chart (Graph) :

• Click on the row number next to the Average row. Use Format>Insert Cells to insert a row above the Percentage row.
• Select row 1 and use Edit>Copy to copy the column descriptors
• Select the blank row above the percentage row and use Edit>Paste to paste the descriptors into the row above the percentage row. We will use these two rows to create a chart that depicts the percentages of colors.
• The data in the first column becomes the X-Axis label on your chart.
• The data across the top row becomes the legend.
• Choose Make Chart from the Options menu. Choose a pie chart and click OK.
• Use the File>Save As command to save your spreadsheet as [yoursectionnumber][yourlastname]ss.cwk.

You should be able to make decisions about how the M&M company fills their bags with candy from the analysis chart you have created. Want to see what the company says? Click below!