You need to perform a number of calculations on your Excel spreadsheet and, among them, you need to perform an elevation squared of some values. Unfortunately, however, not being so familiar with this data processing software, you have no idea how to do this. Excuse me? Is that really how it is? Don’t worry, because I’m here to help you.
In today’s guide, in fact, I’ll show you how to square in Excel through procedures that will take you just a few clicks. I’m sure it won’t seem true to you that it would be such an easy and immediate operation. In detail, I’ll explain how to perform this kind of calculations using both logical operators and a special function.
At this point, I’d say it’s time to put the chatter aside and start immediately with the implementation of this tutorial of mine. Sit down, then, nice and comfortable and pay attention to the suggestions that I will indicate in the next chapters. I just wish you a good reading and, above all, a good job!
Preliminary information
Before we get into the heart of this tutorial and explain how to square in Excel, let me give you some preliminary information about it. You should know that in the following chapters I’ll be suggesting two alternative methods for squaring a value. All you have to do is choose the one that best suits your operational needs.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about the version of Excel you have: in fact, you can use the procedures I’m going to suggest both on the classic Microsoft Excel desktop client for Windows and macOS, on Excel Online (the web version of the famous Microsoft application) and on the Excel app for Android and iOS/iPadOS. The same applies, of course, to the all-in-one Office app for Android and iOS/iPadOS, which lets you create and view Excel, Word and PowerPoint files.
In short: you can freely choose the version of Excel on which to put into practice the suggestions I’ll give you in the next chapters. The steps are always the same. If you do not have a specific version of Excel, you can appeal to the online version, which is free and requires only a Microsoft account to be used, or the app for smartphones and tablets, which are free for all devices up to 10.1″. To use the classic Excel desktop client, however, after an initial trial of 30 days, you’ll have to buy a subscription plan or purchase the entire Office package in classic format: find all the details in this guide.
In any case, if you wanted more information on how to install Excel on your computer or mobile device, I recommend reading my guide on how to download Excel. Then, if you were interested in reading more tips on how to use this calculator software, I recommend you check out my guide on how to use Excel.
How to square in Excel
Going into detail, would you love to find out how to square in Excel, but are afraid of dealing with calculation formulas that are too complicated or difficult to remember? Don’t worry, you’re not taking that risk! Elevating a number squared with Excel is a breeze, and now I’m going to prove it to you.
Symbol for power
If you want to learn how to square in Excel, all you have to do is multiply a number by itself using the following formula, in the cell where you want to display the result of the operation: =[value]^2.
In other words, you will have to insert the symbol [=] inside the cell, which is necessary to make the software understand that it must perform a calculation; then you will have to type the number you want to square, followed by the circumflex accent [^], which is the square elevation symbol in Excel, and then the number 2.
For example, let’s say you want to know the square of the number 5. In this case, all you have to do is select the cell in the spreadsheet where you want to see the result of the operation, type in the formula =5^2 and press the Enter key.
On the cell you will no longer see the written formula, but the number 25, i.e. the result of squaring the value 5. The formula will still be visible when you select the cell containing this result, in the Fx field at the top right.
If you have a spreadsheet already filled out and you want to square in Excel one of the figures already in the file, the operation to perform is very similar to the one I showed you in the previous paragraphs.
To obtain the square of a number already listed in the spreadsheet, in fact, all you have to do is replace the number to be raised with the coordinates of the cell in which it is located. For example, if the number 5 is in cell A2 and you want to obtain the square of this number, you must select the cell in the spreadsheet where you want to display the result of the operation, type the formula =A2^2 and press the Enter key.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to manually type the cell to avoid making mistakes, after entering the [=] sign, click on the cell on which you want the calculation to be performed (in this case always cell A2), followed by the rest of the formula.
By doing so, the number 25 (i.e. 52) will appear inside the target cell, but the great thing is that this number will dynamically change based on the cell’s contents. This means that if you change the value of cell A2, the result of the cell in which you wrote the squared elevation formula will automatically change as well. Simple as that, right?
I remind you that, when you use cell links in formulas, you should use the $ symbol to lock the row and/or column of the cell reference, so that, in case you have to drag the cell containing the formula to repeat it, there will be no anomalies in the calculations.
In fact, by dragging the cell vertically, the cell reference also moves vertically: following the example above, by dragging vertically, the calculation formula will point to cell A3, then to cell A4 and so on. The same thing happens with horizontal dragging, pointing to adjacent cells (e.g. to cell B2, C2 etc.).
To lock the cell reference in the formula, type the formula =$A2^2 to lock only the column of the cell, =$A$2^2 to lock the row, or =$A$2^2 to completely lock the reference cell so that it remains constant in formulas repeated in adjacent cells.
Function for power
In addition to the solution I indicated in the previous chapter, you also have a function to square in Excel: the POWER function. This must be typed in the cell where you want the result of the calculation to be displayed, preceded by the sign [=], which is necessary to indicate to Excel that you want to perform a calculation. Therefore, the formula you will have to type should be written as follows: =POWER(number;power).
Instead of “number” you will have to indicate the number or the reference cell where the value you want to square is located, while instead of “power”, you will have to put the value 2, as you want to calculate the square.
That said, going back to the same example I gave you for the formula in the previous chapter, to calculate the square of 5, you will need to type inside the cell =POWER(5;2), which will return the value 25, after you press the Enter key.
If, on the other hand, you want to square the contents of a cell (e.g. the one in A2), you will have to write the formula =POWER(A2;2). Again, if you needed to reproduce the formula on other cells, use the $ symbol to block the row and/or column of the reference cell, if it was necessary for your calculations, as I explained in this chapter.
Finally, I’ll also point you to the possibility of using another formula for squared elevation on Excel: COMP.POWER. You probably won’t make use of such a formula for simple or everyday calculations, as it deals with handling powers for complex numbers.
This type of numbers, in mathematics, represent a set of numbers consisting of a real part and an imaginary part that are added together. In other words, if you are faced with a complex number of the type x+yi, you can perform power elevation using the COMP.POWER function.
Its use is completely the same as what I have shown you in the previous paragraphs regarding the POWER function. Therefore, you can indicate in the formula =COMP.POWER(complex number;power) the cell reference or the complex number, followed by the number 2 for the squaring.
Just to give you an example, to square the complex number 3+4i, you will need to type the formula =COMP.POWER(“3+4i”;2), to receive the result -7+24i. If you have a cell reference, you will simply have to type the formula =COMP.POWER(A2;2), if the complex number is in cell A2. Simple, right?