Scroll down to the bottom and click on the link Download Spreadsheet Format You will either see the data come up automatically or you must open it yourself from Word. Notice that commas separate the different data points. Excel only recognizes tabs as separators, so we are going (see below) to replace each comma with a tab before we put it in Excel.
Under Edit, release on Select All, then under Edit release on Copy.
Changing the Data In Word so that Excel Can Read It
Open up Word, and under Edit, release on Paste.
In Word, under Edit, release on Replace
Next to Find what, type , (We type a comma since we want to replace that with tabs.)
Next to Replace with, type ^t (^t is Word's symbol for a tab.)
Hit Replace All, then Ok. Close the Replace box.
Under Edit, release on Select All. You will see that all of the data is now highlighted.
Then go back under edit and release on copy.
Under File, release on quit to quit Word (save the Word file in the public folder).
Working With the Data in Excel to Create a Chart
Open up Excel and under Edit, release on paste.
Notice that the Date will be in the first column, Open price in the 2nd, High price in the 3rd, Low price in the fourth, Close price in the fifth, and Volume in the sixth.
If you see ##### or something like 7E+05 anywhere, that just means that Excel does not have enough room to display the entry. Make the column wider by going to the top right of the column, clicking when you see a small letter t with the horizontal part of the t actually as arrowheads, and holding down as you make the column bigger by pulling it to the right. You will probably need to make columns B and F wider.
If row 1 is a blank row, and the words "date, volume,..." don't begin until row 2, then click on the gray 1 at the left of the row and then under edit release on delete.
Whenever we are working with data, we first want to put it in increasing order.
Notice that our data is in decreasing order, as the date goes from the most recent to the least recent.
Click on A1. Click on the Sort Ascending icon in Word
(Under View, make sure that Toolbars/Standard is checked since the
Sort Ascending button is located on this.)
Notice that now the date is in increasing order.
We want to change one more thing before we create an Excel graph.
Click on B1
Under Insert, release on Columns.
Now there is an empty column between date and open.
Click on G (which is now where the Volume is located)
Under Edit release on Cut
Click on B (the empty column)
Under Edit release on Paste
Notice that now our columns look like Date-Volume-Open - High -Low - Close
Saving Your File Save your excel document into the public folder/save files here folder as
yourfirstnameyourstocksymbol.xls
for example drsarahnite.xls
To create our Excel graph
Click on B
Click on the key on the keyboard that has an apple with a bite taken out of it and hold this key down.
Continue to hold the apple key down as you click on C then D then E then F.
Then columns B thru F will all be selected.
Under Insert, release on Chart
Scroll down to stock and click on it
Under Chart sub-type, the bottom right picture should be highlighted (Volume-Open-high-low-close)
Press and hold to view a sample to ensure that you see something like this NITE Excel graph link
Click on Next
Click on Next a second time
Under Chart title - type your stock symbol and your name.
For example NITE - Dr. Sarah
Then click on Finish.
Save your excel document again.
Your excel document with the picture should look something like this link, although the dates, data and picture itself will be for your stock.
Have Dr. Sarah check that it is correct before you print and send it as an attachment on WebCT.
You will need a printing card in order to print your graph.
Click on the graph (it will have little black boxes spaced around the edges when you do this) and then print a copy. If you do not have a printing card with you, then print this sometime outside of class by accessing it from WebCT.
Send yourself and Dr. Sarah a copy via posting it to the forum containing just you and I.
Go to the main WebCT page
Click on the Bulletin Board
Click on Compose Discussion Message
Make sure that the Topic says that is is the forum containing only you and I.
In the Subject field type in your first name and your stock symbol (example Dr. Sarah - NITE)
In the Message field re-type your first name and your stock symbol (example Dr. Sarah - NITE)
Scroll down and click on Browse... which is next to the Attach file button.
Look in the public folder on the desktop for your file (example drsarahnite.xls) and click on Open
Click on Attach
Once the file has been added, click on OK
Click on Send. Click on Post.
Click on Update Listing.
You will know if you have been successful if you see a paperclip next to the message.
You will use this again in a future lab, so do not delete it.
Staple your completed homework and the printed graph to the back of this lab.
Dr. Sarah's Homer Tax Lab
Homer realizing that he has a "to-do" pile with tax info on top. |
Homer frantically trying to do his taxes |
Homer throwing his tax return into the closing post office doors. |
Homer being hauled off by the IRS for a severe audit. |
While the Simpsons are humorous, we only use them in class when they can help us learn mathematics or serve some other important course goal. In this case, we use the Simpsons to learn about advanced searching techniques on the web, and to lighten up the tax return process! You will be responsible for advanced web searching techniques. Also, be careful to answer all questions beginning with a bold dot and to follow directions very carefully. We'll begin by watching Homer get into trouble when filling out a false tax return in the Trouble with Trillions 5F14 (4/5/98). If you are waiting for us to do this together, continue on ahead.
You may have heard about Bush's tax cuts and the possible effects
on the economy.
Your taxable income determines the percentage that you are taxed at.
The first part of everyone's taxable income is taxed at the lowest
rate, and portions above a cutoff amount are taxed at higher rates.
For tax years beginning in 2001, the 28%, 31%, 36%, and 39.6% graduated
income tax rates have been reduced to 27.5%, 30.5%, 35.5%, and 39.1%,
respectively. A portion of your income that would be subject to the 15%
tax rate is reduced to 10%.
We are going to fill out a tax return for Homer by using your homework.
The government estimates the average amount of deductions (income that
is not taxable)
for each class below and calls this average the standard deduction.
We want the highest possible deduction since this gets subtracted off
of our pay before we pay taxes (and we want to pay the least possible taxes).
For 2001, the standard deductions are
| Single: $4550.00 | Married filing jointly: $7600.00 |
| Head of Household: $6650.00 | Married filing separately: $3800.00 |