Operating Systems and Office Applications
Operating system part
Know the functions of an OS (process, memory, file and device management), its types (batch, multiprogramming, time-sharing, real-time), Windows desktop elements, file and folder operations, extensions and shortcuts.
- Shortcuts: Ctrl+C copy, Ctrl+V paste, Ctrl+X cut, Ctrl+Z undo, Ctrl+A select all, Alt+F4 close window, Ctrl+Shift+Esc Task Manager, F2 rename, F5 refresh.
- Extensions: .docx Word, .xlsx Excel, .pptx PowerPoint, .txt plain text, .exe executable, .pdf portable document.
Office applications
- Word: Ctrl+B bold, Ctrl+E centre, mail merge for mass letters, headers and footers.
- Excel: a formula begins with “=”; SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN and IF are common; $A$1 is an absolute reference while A1 is relative.
- PowerPoint: F5 starts the slideshow from the beginning, Shift+F5 from the current slide; transitions are between slides, animations within a slide.
Worked example
“In Excel, what does =AVERAGE(B2:B6) return if the cells hold 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50?” The sum is 150 and the count is 5, so the result is 30. If one cell were blank, AVERAGE would ignore it while COUNTA would count it, which is a favourite distractor.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing Save (Ctrl+S) with Save As.
- Copying a formula and forgetting that absolute references do not shift.
- Treating transitions as animations.
- Forgetting that Windows hides file extensions by default.