Final answer:
The correct syntax for multiplying cell A3 by 85% in a spreadsheet is 'A3 * 0.85'. The multiplication symbol is '*', and 85% is represented as 0.85 in decimal form.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking how to multiply a cell value in a spreadsheet by 85%. The correct syntax to multiply cell A3 by 85% using spreadsheet formulas is Option 1: A3 * 0.85. Since 85% is equal to 0.85 in decimal form, this option correctly applies the arithmetic operation. In spreadsheets, the multiplication symbol is the asterisk (*), not the letter 'x', which is why Option 1 is correct, and options with the letter 'x' are incorrect. Option 3 would also work in some spreadsheet software that understands percentage formatting directly.