The dollar sign ($) is used to make references ________ in MS-Excel 2010.

The correct answer is absolute.

Key Points

• The dollar sign ($) in MS-Excel 2010 is used to create absolute references in formulas.
• An absolute reference ensures that a cell reference does not change when copying a formula to another cell.
• For example, $A$1 is an absolute reference to the cell in column A and row 1.
• Absolute references are crucial when you need to maintain a constant reference to a specific cell.
• You can create an absolute reference by pressing the F4 key after selecting a cell reference in a formula.

Additional Information

• Relative References
  • Relative references change when a formula is copied to another cell.
  • Example: A1 in a formula becomes B1 if copied one cell to the right.
• Mixed References
  • Mixed references combine absolute and relative references.
  • Example: $A1 (absolute column, relative row) or A$1 (relative column, absolute row).
  • These are useful when you need to keep part of the reference constant.
• Using F4 Key
  • Pressing F4 after selecting a cell reference toggles between different reference types.
  • Order: relative -> absolute -> mixed (column absolute) -> mixed (row absolute).
• Named Ranges
  • Named ranges can be used instead of cell references for better readability.
  • Example: Naming cell A1 as "Sales" and using "Sales" in formulas.