If a formula in a spreadsheet is copied from cell B1 to cell C2, and the original formula is = $A2, which formula will appear in C2?

When a formula in a spreadsheet is copied from one cell to another, the way the references adjust depends on whether the cell references are relative or absolute. In the given formula = $A2, the dollar sign before the column letter A indicates that the column reference is absolute. This means that when the formula is copied, the reference to column A will remain constant, regardless of where the formula is pasted.

On the other hand, the row reference (2 in this case) is relative. This means that when the formula is copied to a new location, the row number will adjust based on how far the formula is moved vertically.

When the formula = $A2 is copied from B1 to C2:

• The column reference A remains unchanged because of the dollar sign.
• The row number changes from 2 (in B1) to 3 (in C2), because it’s moving one row down.

Therefore, in cell C2, the formula becomes =$A3. This combination reflects that the column is set to A (unchanged) and the row has incremented to 3, aligning with the rules of relative and absolute referencing in spreadsheet formulas.