About this quiz
50 questions covering every section of the note: Cells, Formulas, Functions, Cell References, Errors and Shortcuts.
This Lok Sewa practice set has 50 multiple-choice questions (Subject: Computer Knowledge · For: Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer · Level: Easy). Take the quiz above first; after that, use the study list below to revise every question with its correct answer and a short explanation.
Study list: all 50 questions with answers and explanations
In MS Excel, a formula normally begins with:
- A) %
- B) = ✔
- C) @
- D) #
Why: Formulas start with the equal sign, for example =A1+B1.
The point where a row and a column meet in a worksheet is called a:
- A) Range
- B) Cell ✔
- C) Field
- D) Record
Why: A cell is the box where a row and a column intersect.
What is the default extension of an Excel 2016 workbook?
- A) .xls
- B) .xlsx ✔
- C) .xlx
- D) .csv
Why: From Excel 2007 onwards workbooks are saved as .xlsx.
In Excel 2007 and later, the last column of a worksheet is:
- A) IV
- B) XFD ✔
- C) ZZZ
- D) XFZ
Why: There are 16,384 columns and the last one is XFD.
What will =2+3*4 return in Excel?
- A) 20
- B) 14 ✔
- C) 24
- D) 9
Why: Multiplication is done first: 3*4 = 12, then 2+12 = 14.
Which function counts only the cells that contain numbers?
- A) COUNTA
- B) COUNT ✔
- C) COUNTIF
- D) SUM
Why: COUNT counts numeric cells; COUNTA counts every non-empty cell.
Which function would you use to show "Pass" if marks are 40 or more and "Fail" otherwise?
- A) IF ✔
- B) SUMIF
- C) COUNT
- D) LOOKUP
Why: =IF(C2>=40,"Pass","Fail") returns one of two results based on a condition.
Which is an absolute cell reference?
- A) A1
- B) $A1
- C) A$1
- D) $A$1 ✔
Why: $A$1 fixes both column and row, so it does not change when copied.
Which key switches a cell reference between relative and absolute while editing a formula?
- A) F2
- B) F4 ✔
- C) F5
- D) F9
Why: F4 cycles through A1, $A$1, A$1 and $A1.
Which error appears when a number is divided by zero?
- A) #VALUE!
- B) #REF!
- C) #DIV/0! ✔
- D) #N/A
Why: #DIV/0! means division by zero or by an empty cell.
A cell shows ##### instead of a number. What is the usual reason?
- A) The formula is wrong
- B) The column is too narrow ✔
- C) The file is damaged
- D) The number has decimals
Why: Widening the column shows the value.
The #REF! error usually means:
- A) A referenced cell was deleted ✔
- B) A function name is misspelt
- C) The value was not found
- D) Text was added to a number
Why: #REF! appears when a formula refers to a cell that no longer exists.
Which chart is best to show the share of each part in a whole?
- A) Line chart
- B) Pie chart ✔
- C) Scatter chart
- D) Column chart
Why: A pie chart shows parts of a whole.
Which shortcut inserts today's date in a cell?
- A) Ctrl + D
- B) Ctrl + ; ✔
- C) Ctrl + Shift + D
- D) Alt + D
Why: Ctrl + ; inserts the current date.
How do you start a new line inside the same cell?
- A) Enter
- B) Shift + Enter
- C) Alt + Enter ✔
- D) Ctrl + Enter
Why: Alt + Enter adds a line break inside the cell.
Which shortcut opens the Format Cells dialog?
- A) Ctrl + 1 ✔
- B) Ctrl + F
- C) Ctrl + 2
- D) Alt + F1
Why: Ctrl + 1 opens Format Cells.
Which tool keeps the heading row visible while scrolling down?
- A) Merge and Center
- B) Freeze Panes ✔
- C) AutoFill
- D) Filter
Why: Freeze Panes on the View tab locks rows or columns in place.
What is the shortcut for AutoSum?
- A) Alt + = ✔
- B) Ctrl + S
- C) Ctrl + =
- D) Shift + S
Why: Alt + = inserts the SUM function automatically.
Which was the first electronic spreadsheet program?
- A) Lotus 1-2-3
- B) VisiCalc ✔
- C) MS Excel
- D) Quattro Pro
Why: VisiCalc, released in 1979, was the first electronic spreadsheet.
=ROUND(12.567,1) returns:
- A) 12.5
- B) 12.6 ✔
- C) 13
- D) 12.57
Why: Rounding to one decimal place gives 12.6.
The default name of a new Excel file is:
- A) Book1 ✔
- B) Document1
- C) Sheet1
- D) File1
Why: A new Excel file opens with the default name Book1 (then Book2, Book3…). You give it a proper name when you save it.
An Excel file is called a:
- A) Workbook ✔
- B) Document
- C) Presentation
- D) Database
Why: An Excel file is called a workbook. One workbook can contain many worksheets (sheet tabs at the bottom).
Rows in Excel are identified by:
- A) Numbers ✔
- B) Letters
- C) Symbols
- D) Colours
Why: Rows are numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on down the left side, while columns are lettered across the top.
Columns in Excel are identified by:
- A) Letters ✔
- B) Numbers
- C) Dates
- D) Colours
Why: Columns are named with letters: A, B, C … Z, then AA, AB and so on, up to XFD in modern Excel.
The maximum number of rows in Excel 2007 and later is:
- A) 1,048,576 ✔
- B) 65,536
- C) 16,384
- D) 1,000,000
Why: Excel 2007 and later have 1,048,576 rows (2^20) and 16,384 columns per worksheet.
=SUM(A1:A5) returns:
- A) The total of A1 to A5 ✔
- B) The average
- C) The count
- D) The largest
Why: =SUM(A1:A5) adds the values in cells A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5. The colon means 'from A1 to A5'.
=AVERAGE(B1:B4) returns:
- A) The mean of B1 to B4 ✔
- B) The total
- C) The maximum
- D) The count
Why: =AVERAGE(B1:B4) gives the mean: it adds the values in B1 to B4 and divides by the number of numeric cells.
=MAX(C1:C10) returns:
- A) The largest value ✔
- B) The smallest value
- C) The total
- D) The count
Why: =MAX(C1:C10) returns the largest number in the range C1 to C10, useful for finding the highest marks.
=MIN(C1:C10) returns:
- A) The smallest value ✔
- B) The largest value
- C) The average
- D) The total
Why: =MIN(C1:C10) returns the smallest number in the range C1 to C10.
=COUNTA counts cells that are:
- A) Not empty ✔
- B) Only numbers
- C) Only blank
- D) Only text
Why: COUNTA counts all non-empty cells, whether they hold numbers, text or dates. COUNT counts only numeric cells.
=COUNTBLANK counts:
- A) Empty cells ✔
- B) Number cells
- C) Text cells
- D) All cells
Why: COUNTBLANK counts empty cells in a range, for example to see how many students have no marks entered.
=UPPER("nepal") returns:
- A) NEPAL ✔
- B) nepal
- C) Nepal
- D) nEPAL
Why: UPPER converts text to capital letters, so =UPPER("nepal") returns NEPAL. LOWER and PROPER work similarly.
=LEN("Kathmandu") returns:
- A) 9 ✔
- B) 8
- C) 10
- D) 7
Why: LEN counts the characters in text. "Kathmandu" has 9 letters, so =LEN("Kathmandu") returns 9.
=SQRT(81) returns:
- A) 9 ✔
- B) 81
- C) 8
- D) 3
Why: SQRT gives the square root: 9 × 9 = 81, so =SQRT(81) returns 9.
=10/2+3 returns:
- A) 8 ✔
- B) 2
- C) 6.5
- D) 13
Why: Division is done before addition: 10/2 = 5, then 5 + 3 = 8.
=(10+2)*3 returns:
- A) 36 ✔
- B) 16
- C) 32
- D) 30
Why: Brackets are worked out first: 10 + 2 = 12, then 12 × 3 = 36.
=5^2 returns:
- A) 25 ✔
- B) 10
- C) 7
- D) 52
Why: The ^ sign means 'to the power of', so 5^2 = 5 × 5 = 25.
Which function looks up a value in the first column of a table?
- A) VLOOKUP ✔
- B) HLOOKUP
- C) LOOKDOWN
- D) FIND
Why: VLOOKUP (vertical lookup) searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from another column in the same row.
=IF(A1>=40,"Pass","Fail") shows Pass when A1 is:
- A) 40 or more ✔
- B) Less than 40
- C) Exactly 39
- D) Blank
Why: The condition A1>=40 means 'A1 is greater than or equal to 40', so the result is Pass for 40 or more, and Fail below 40.
Mixed cell reference example:
- A) $A1 ✔
- B) A1
- C) $A$1
- D) A:A
Why: $A1 is a mixed reference: the column A is fixed by $, but the row number changes when you copy the formula. A$1 fixes only the row.
The #NAME? error means:
- A) Excel does not recognise a function or name ✔
- B) Division by zero
- C) Invalid reference
- D) Column too narrow
Why: #NAME? appears when Excel does not recognise a function or name, usually because of a spelling mistake such as =SUMM(A1:A5).
The #VALUE! error usually means:
- A) Wrong type of argument (e.g. text in maths) ✔
- B) Division by zero
- C) Missing reference
- D) Too wide
Why: #VALUE! appears when a formula uses the wrong type of value, for example adding text to a number.
Ctrl + Shift + ; in Excel inserts:
- A) Current time ✔
- B) Today's date
- C) A new sheet
- D) A formula
Why: Ctrl + Shift + ; inserts the current time. Ctrl + ; (without Shift) inserts today's date.
F2 in Excel is used to:
- A) Edit the active cell ✔
- B) Save
- C) Open help
- D) Spell check
Why: F2 puts the active cell into edit mode, so you can change its contents without retyping everything.
Shift + F11 in Excel inserts:
- A) A new worksheet ✔
- B) A chart
- C) A formula
- D) A table
Why: Shift + F11 inserts a new worksheet in the workbook. F11 alone creates a chart from the selected data.
Which chart is best to show trends over time?
- A) Line chart ✔
- B) Pie chart
- C) Doughnut chart
- D) Radar chart
Why: A line chart is best for trends over time, such as monthly revenue or yearly population, because the line shows rise and fall.
Sorting data A to Z is done from the:
- A) Data tab (or Home → Sort & Filter) ✔
- B) Insert tab
- C) View tab
- D) Review tab
Why: Sorting is done from the Data tab (Sort) or from Home → Sort & Filter. A to Z sorts text alphabetically, or numbers smallest to largest.
Filtering data shows:
- A) Only rows meeting a condition ✔
- B) All rows always
- C) Only charts
- D) Only formulas
Why: Filter (AutoFilter) hides rows that do not meet a condition, so only matching rows are shown, for example only 'Kathmandu' entries.
Merge & Center is on the:
- A) Home tab ✔
- B) Insert tab
- C) Data tab
- D) Review tab
Why: Merge & Center is on the Home tab, in the Alignment group. It joins selected cells and centres the text, often for table titles.
Conditional Formatting is used to:
- A) Format cells based on their values ✔
- B) Insert charts
- C) Protect sheets
- D) Print pages
Why: Conditional Formatting changes a cell's colour or style based on its value, for example highlighting marks below 40 in red.