Question

when calculating average sales, what should a user do after selecting the cells to be averaged? close parentheses press the summation symbol open parentheses

Explanation:

Step1: Understand the formula for AVERAGE function

In spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel), the AVERAGE function has the syntax =AVERAGE(number1,[number2,...]). When you select the cells (which are the number1, number2,... part), the next step in completing the formula is to close the parentheses. For example, if you select cells A1 - A5, the formula starts as =AVERAGE(A1:A5 (after selection), and then you need to add the closing parenthesis to make it =AVERAGE(A1:A5).

Step2: Analyze other options

• Pressing the summation symbol (Σ) is for the SUM function, not relevant for AVERAGE.
• The parentheses are already "opened" when the software starts constructing the AVERAGE formula after cell selection (implicitly or as part of the function start), so the next step is not to open but to close.

Answer:

close parentheses