Final answer:
For storing prices of smartphones in Excel, the Currency number format is recommended as it includes two decimal places and a currency symbol, providing consistent presentation and readability of the financial data.
Step-by-step explanation:
When storing prices of smartphones in an Excel column, you should use the Currency number format. This format will automatically provide two decimal places and includes a currency symbol, ensuring that all prices are consistently displayed within the spreadsheet. For example, to format a column as currency, you would:
- Select the column that will contain the smartphone prices.
- Right-click and choose 'Format Cells' from the context menu.
- In the Format Cells dialog box, click on the 'Number' tab.
- Choose 'Currency' from the category list.
- Set the number of decimal places (usually 2 for currency).
- Select the appropriate currency symbol (e.g., $, €, £) if it's not already set by default.
- Click 'OK' to apply the formatting.
Using the currency format is helpful when dealing with financial data as it aligns decimal points and makes the data easier to read, thereby reducing the chance of mistakes when interpreting figures.