Final answer:
To apply conditional formatting with blue gradient data bars to the range C3:J26, select the range in your spreadsheet program, go to 'Conditional Formatting', choose 'Data Bars', and select a blue gradient option. This technique provides an instant visual cue of the data magnitude within the cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
To apply conditional formatting using blue gradient data bars to a cell range C3:J26, you have to select the mentioned cell range in your spreadsheet application. Once the cells are selected, navigate to the 'Conditional Formatting' option usually found under the 'Home' tab. From there, you can choose 'Data Bars' and then select a gradient blue fill. This will apply a visual representation of the values in your cells: cells with higher values will have longer blue bars, and cells with lower values will have shorter bars.
For instance, if you are looking at a chart that visualizes data, those cells or areas that have more significant values may be represented by darker blue numbers accompanied by longer gradient bars, while those with lower values will have shorter bars, possibly in a lighter shade of blue. The black font ensures that the numerals stand out against the blue background for easy reading.
Note: If you're working with a highly variable range of data, the gradient data bars can help to quickly identify trends and outliers visually.