5.3 Preparing the Data

You will label each day in the data set with sequential numbers from 1 to 30 (or more than 30, depending on your data). The asset’s Close, Open, Low, and High values are contained in the file.

5.3.1 Renaming the File

  1. Open the file you downloaded from the website.
  2. Go to File > Save As. Include Lab 5 in the file’s name and save it with the extension .xlsx.

5.3.2 Inserting a Column on MAC

Next, you will insert a new column between the columns with Dates and Prices. The following steps will prompt Excel to insert a new column with all the columns with prices to the right of it.

  1. Hold down CONTROL and simultaneously click the first column with Prices (e.g., Open).
  2. Then on the pop-up menu, click Insert.
  3. Type the label Day at the top of the new column.
A screenshot of the insert column menu on MAC.

Figure 5.1: Insert column menu on MAC.

5.3.3 Inserting a Column on PC

  1. RIGHT-click the top of the first column with Prices.
  2. Select Insert.
  3. Type the label Day at the top of the new column.

5.3.4 Creating a List of Sequential Numbers

Next, you will create a list in the new column with numbers 1 to 30 (or more, depending on your data).

  1. Enter 1 (starting value of the series) in the cell below the label Day in the new column.

Note: If the number 1 changes to a date format, select the column and change it to the General format in the Number ribbon.

A screenshot of the Numbers ribbon in the Home tab.

Figure 5.2: Numbers ribbon in the Home tab.

  1. Type the number 2 in the next cell below to establish a pattern.
  2. Select the cells that contain the two starting values.
  3. Position the mouse pointer in the lower right corner of the selected cells until it becomes a + sign and click-drag downward across the range you want to fill.