GCFLearnFree.org, an online-based educational organization, has launched a free Excel Formulas tutorial that includes more than 20 lessons and several interactives for users to both understand formulas and practice creating them. Excel Formulas expands upon the organization’s popular Microsoft Office online tutorials, which give users a more in-depth look into how these programs work.

The tutorial features real-world situations and problems learners can solve to better prepare them for using these formulas at work and in life. In one interactive, they can help a friend plan a birthday party using an Excel formula. In another, they can determine how much pizza is needed for a work event. In all, they can apply what they’ve learned to Excel or any other spreadsheet-based program, like Google Sheets.

“Our learners have been asking for more help with Excel, and we’re excited to finally deliver it to them,” says Stephen Lee, lead instructional designer for GCFLearnFree.org’s technology curriculum. “It takes practice to really master Excel formulas, so we’ve designed a number of real-world scenarios that learners can work through at their own pace.”

This real-world approach is designed to help learners understand not only how Excel formulas work but also how to develop critical-thinking skills to convert real-world problem into formulas.

“Our previous Excel tutorials show learners the basics of writing formulas, but formulas can still be intimidating. How do you convert a real-world problem into a formula that Excel can understand?” Lee says. “Our new tutorial will walk learners through the steps of doing that, and it will give them critical-thinking skills they need to create formulas that work.”

Several Excel-related videos on simple and complex formulas, cell references, and functions – as well as a video covering the importance of critical-thinking skills – accompany the lessons.

Microsoft Office is not the only subject offered via GCFLearnFree.org. The site – which offers free tutorials for free to learners around the world – also has lessons in English and reading, math, technology basics, work and career, and more.