How to create a mixed reference

Abstract

So what’s a mixed reference?

A mixed reference is a reference that’s part relative and part absolute.

Let’s take a look.

These are sometimes called “mixed references.”

A good example of a problem that requires a mixed reference is a multiplication table.

This is because the relative references change to be relative to each formula.

The numbers get huge because the formula is multiplying values in the cells directly above and to the left.

This is because the fully absolute references don’t change no matter where the formula is copied.

What we need is something in between.

We can do this by adding a dollar sign before the “B”.

We can do this by adding a dollar sign before the “4”.

Now, when we copy the formulas across the table, we get the correct values.

Let me scrub the table and demonstrate.

First, I’ll add the normal references.

Then I’ll do the same thing on the second reference until only the row is fixed.

Now I can copy the formula across the table, and the mixed references generate the correct formulas.