Computer Fundamentals and MS Office Applications
What the exam tests
Computer fundamentals and MS Office test hardware and software, memory and storage, operating-system file management, Word formatting and mail merge, Excel formulas and charts, PowerPoint, and safe internet and email use.
Core rules
- Hardware is physical; software is instructions. RAM is volatile working memory; ROM is non-volatile; secondary storage retains data.
- File extensions identify applications: .docx for Word, .xlsx for Excel, .pptx for PowerPoint, .pdf for portable documents.
- Word: use styles for headings, page setup for margins, and mail merge for a common letter with a data source.
- Excel: every formula begins with “=”; cell references can be relative (A1), absolute ($A$1) or mixed. SUM, AVERAGE, IF and COUNT are common functions.
- PowerPoint: keep slides readable, use a consistent theme, and avoid overcrowding text.
Worked example
A marks sheet has names in A2:A10 and marks in B2:B10. In B11, =SUM(B2:B10) adds all marks. If the formula is copied to C11, relative references shift to C2:C10, which is wrong if C holds different data. Using =SUM($B$2:$B$10) locks the column and row. If the pass mark is 40, =IF(B2>=40,"Pass","Fail") returns the result for row 2 and can be filled down. The reasoning is that relative references move with the copy; absolute references stay fixed.
Traps
Forgetting “=” at the start, confusing SUM with COUNT, copying formulas without checking reference type, and saving in the wrong format are common. In mail merge, the data source must have a header row. Do not open unknown attachments or reuse weak passwords.