CS 101 Introduction to Computing

Assignment # 03
Total Marks 20
Deadline
Your assignment must be uploaded / submitted before or on 19-05-2009
Upload Instructions
Please view the assignment submission process document provided to you by the Virtual
University to upload the assignment.
Rules for Marking
Please note that your assignment will not be graded if:
• It is submitted after due date
• The file you uploaded does not open
• The file you uploaded is copied from some one else or from internet
• It is in some format other than .xls
• Vales used other than mentioned values.
Objective

The assignment has been designed to enable you:

• To use spread sheet software (Microsoft Excel) for what-if analysis using goal
seek option.

Assignment 20 marks

Goal Seek is part of a suite of commands sometimes called what-if analysis tools. When
you know the desired result of a single formula but not the input value the formula needs
to determine the result, you can use the Goal Seek feature available by clicking Goal
Seek on the Tools menu. When goal seeking, Microsoft Excel varies the value in one
specific cell until a formula that's dependent on that cell returns the result you want.

In Goal Seek there will be three boxes to fill in.

1. The first says "Set cell." Enter the cell address (or click on the cell) of the cell
whose value you want to fix or set to a specific number (i.e. Profit cell). This cell
must contain a formula or function. Otherwise it will not be linked to the cell you
will be changing to obtain zero profit.
2. The second says "To value." Enter the appropriate value you wish to see in that
"Set" cell (i.e. 0 if you want the Profit to come out zero).
3. The third says "By changing cell." Enter or click on the cell you want Goal Seek
to change to obtain the zero profit. This cell must not be a formula or function.
Then click "okay."
Question
Suppose a student takes 25 marks in midterm exams and 10 marks in assignments.
His total score will be calculated by adding his midterm, assignments and final term
marks. If the student wants to make his total score equal to 70, find out the final term
marks that he should take by using Goal Seek in Microsoft excel.

Sample set of values before applying goal seek operation:

Applying Goal Seek to Find Final Term Marks
25 Midterm Marks
10 Assignment Marks
0 Final Term Marks
35 Total Score

You have to calculate final term marks by using the following values of goal seek input
dialog box:
Set cell = Total Score
To Value = 70
By changing cell = Final Term Marks

Show the values of used cells before and after the goal seek and show the procedure.

Things that you must remember!!

 Make sure the "Set Cell" cell is set to a formula or function or cell reference.
 Make sure the "By Changing Cell" cell is a number or blank, and not a formula,
function or cell reference like =C5.
 Make sure there is a link by formulas between the two cells you entered in the
Goal Seek.
 Finally, make sure your formula in the "Set Cell" cell is correct.

Goal Seek input dialog