Merging cells.

Merging cells offers a way to put items such as titles for categories of data or text.  One example is the diner menu which might have the business name in merged cells on row 1, and have "Breakfast Lunch and Dinner" merged just before items for that specific category.

NOTE:  You can merge cells going across in a row, cells going down in a column, or a combination of columns and rows.

1.  Open Excel.  In Excel 2013 hit the Escape or Enter key one time to open a blank spread sheet.
2.  Go to cell a1.
3.  Press and hold down the shift key and tap the right arrow key two times.  You have just highlighted cells a1, a2, and a3.
4.  Release both keys.
5.  Press control and the number 1 (above the alphabet keys).
6.  Release these keys.
7.  Hit the letter a
8.  Press and hold down the alt key and tap the letter m (to merge the three cells).
9.  Release these keys.
10.  Hit the Enter key one time.
11.  Type “These are merged cells.”
12.  Tap the tab key one time.
13.  Left arrow one time and you will hear “These are merged cells.”  All of the words will be visible.
14.  Highlight and merge cells c1 c2 d1 d2 as an example of merging rows and columns at the same time.

Note:  When you press control 1, which takes you to the top tabs on the “Format Cells” dialogue box, you may have to either left or right arrow a number of times before you get to the “Alignment” tab, or simply hit the letter a to move to "Alignment."

Assignment:  Continue on the above Excel spreadsheet to merge and write in longer titles, etc.  When finished, save the file as Excel Assignment 12.  Print two copies.  Given one copy to the teacher and keep one copy for yourself.

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