Question

if you are only filling a formula down, do you have to worry about the letters in the cell references changing?
choose the correct answer.
a. yes. when filling down a formula, the relative cell references in that formula will have both the letters and numbers change. to keep the letters from changing, add a $ sign in front of any letter in a cell reference.
b. no. when filling a formula down, the relative cell references in that formula will retain the same letters. however, the numbers in the cell references will change.
c. no. when filling a formula down, the relative cell references in that formula will retain the same letters and numbers. filling a formula down copies the exact formula from one cell to others.
d. yes. when filling a formula down, the relative cell references in that formula will retain the same numbers. however, the letters in the cell references will change. to keep the letters from changing, add a $ sign in front of any letter in a cell reference.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze how relative cell references work when filling a formula down in a spreadsheet (e.g., Excel). When filling a formula down, relative cell references change the row number (the number part of the cell reference) but keep the column letter (the letter part) the same.

• Option A is incorrect because it claims both letters and numbers change, which is not true for filling down (letters stay, numbers change).
• Option B is correct: Filling a formula down with relative references retains the column letters (so no need to worry about letters changing) and changes the row numbers.
• Option C is incorrect as it says both letters and numbers remain the same, which is false for relative references (numbers change).
• Option D is incorrect because it claims letters change when filling down, but in reality, only the row numbers (numbers) change, and column letters stay.

Answer:

B. No. When filling a formula down, the relative cell references in that formula will retain the same letters. However, the numbers in the cell references will change.