Microsoft Excel – Page 2 – SpreadsheetSolving

Make a Buy vs Rent calculator spreadsheet

Is it better to buy or rent a house? Advice on this problem comes in all shapes and sizes, from the dogmatic idea that homeownership is the American dream, to some more nuanced methods like calculating the price to rent ratio. What would you do if you found a great house and are deciding whether to buy it or keep on renting? *Note: We’ve updated this analysis and spreadsheet, given changes in the economics of housing due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from late 2017. For the latest, please see A 2019 update of our House Rent vs Buy IRR Spreadsheet

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Is medical school “worth it”? An introduction to Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”)

Finance hiring is down, law school grads are having a tough time finding real law jobs, so what is an ambitious but risk averse college student to do with his or her life these days? Okay, right now the answer is computer science. Yes seriously, do computer science. But let’s pretend it is the year 2001 and the only other option respectable option is medical school. But doesn’t med school take a lot of time (4 years school plus 3-7 years residency/fellowship) and cost a lot of money? How can we figure out if going to med school and not earning doctor money until 7 years from now is worth it financially relative to just entering the workforce and working for those 7 years? Continue reading “Is medical school “worth it”? An introduction to Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”)”

How to analyze a nonprofit Form 990 with a spreadsheet

“The more you give, the more you get, that’s being alive” – The Money Song, Avenue Q

Charitable giving serves a valuable purpose in our society. It allows organizations in health, education, social services and others to provide benefits to people who otherwise couldn’t afford them. It allows people who have built up wealth to give back and make a difference. The federal government even subsidizes charitable giving by allowing donations to be deducted from income reported for taxes (effectively kicking in up to 39.6% of each donation). It’s a great system that is meant to fund those people and organizations in need. At least that is how it should be. Continue reading “How to analyze a nonprofit Form 990 with a spreadsheet”

Build a Spreadsheet to help you choose a healthcare plan

Will you save more with standard PPO or a high-deductible PPO Saver plan with a Health Savings Account?

It is currently Open Enrollment season at many workplaces, which is when employees choose their medical insurance and other benefits plans for the upcoming year. It’s also the time of year when people grumble “why is the US healthcare system so complicated” and just elect whatever plan they had in the prior year. Building a spreadsheet can help someone compare the costs and benefits of each of the plans under a variety of different assumptions about tax rate and healthcare expenditure. Continue reading “Build a Spreadsheet to help you choose a healthcare plan”

Pick up basketball: Should you shoot more 2 pointers or 3 pointers when you play winners’ take?

The NBA basketball season just started last week, and the three point shot is having its moment. Despite some high profile doubters, the Warriors are the reigning NBA champions due to very impressive three point shooting. Also, the total number of three pointers taken in the NBA has steadily risen over the past 35 years.

Is it better to take a three pointer or a two pointer? The theory behind this is pretty simple, and can be done without a spreadsheet. Because a three pointer is worth 50% more than a two pointer, if a team can hit three pointers with at least 2/3 the percentage that they hit two pointers, then they would be better off taking more three pointers. Continue reading “Pick up basketball: Should you shoot more 2 pointers or 3 pointers when you play winners’ take?”

Do you want the stock market to go up or down?

At first glance, it sounds like an obvious question – surely it is better when stocks go up, right? From watching the ads on CNBC, it would seem that higher stock prices directly translate into more steak dinners and golf vacations while lower stock prices mean bringing your own peanut butter sandwiches to work (jelly is for bull markets). Continue reading “Do you want the stock market to go up or down?”

ABCD: Analyzing Big College Data

© Photographer Daniel Gilbey|Agency: Dreamstime.com

The college decision is a big one. Are you deciding which college(s) to apply to or which one to attend? Or are you in middle or high school and interested in attending college someday? Or have you already graduated from college?

For all, let’s explore essential skills by analyzing data across 202 U.S. colleges! Continue reading “ABCD: Analyzing Big College Data”

How many languages do you speak?

[polldaddy poll=6994482]

Over the past several months – or years for that matter – there has been a rush among American parents to teach kids Mandarin. After-school language classes have emerged, immersion programs are gaining popularity, and videos and phone apps focused on languages have sprung up!

A recent Economist article, “Valued-Added Remodeling” (March 16, 2013) even noted that Jack Markell, Delaware’s governor, plans to expand immersion programs, such as those seen in the kindergarten classroom of Mcllvaine Early Childhood Center, where children are taught solely in Mandarin for half of each day.

Now, what’s the connection between our language skills and a spreadsheet? Continue reading “How many languages do you speak?”

Google Spreadsheet 101

Take a spreadsheet tour with us. Here you’ll explore the layout of a typical Google spreadsheet. Along the journey, you’ll discover what menu bar is; how to add and rename worksheets; how to add, delete, and re-size rows and columns; and how to undo an action.

5 Favorite Features of Google Spreadsheets

These are among our favorite features of Google spreadsheets! What are yours?

1. Convenient access anywhere: Whether you’re on your laptop, desktop, Android, iPhone, iPad, etc, you can access your Google spreadsheet. Without worrying about saving and replacing multiple versions, you can view and edit the same spreadsheet across all devices!

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Should schools adopt B.Y.O.T?

A new trend across schools has emerged: B.Y.O.T for Bring Your Own Technology. Recently, an article in the New York Times describes the debate of whether schools should adopt B.Y.O.T. Are you a fan or a critic of B.Y.O.T? Do the advantages of adopting this policy outweigh the drawbacks, or do they not? How can we think about this? Before you answer our poll, let’s first discover how we can use a spreadsheet to develop a logical framework to better inform our opinion!

[polldaddy poll=6990938]

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Employment Patterns by Gender since 1948

In honor of Women’s History Month in March, check out our poll below: what percentage of the work force consisted of women in 1948? Keep in mind that just 28 years prior to 1948, women were first granted the right to vote. How have employment patterns by gender changed over time? Let’s use our spreadsheet problem solving skills to figure this out!

[polldaddy poll=6991261]

Tag: Microsoft Excel