Range Concept
Appearing in the Definitions page, here is a new term to learn, it is called a range. A range is used when referring to a block of adjacent cells. The range below (FIGURE 1) is A1:C3 (Meaning the data begins in cell A1 and ends in cell C3). When we begin using formulas, understanding this range concept will be important.

STEP 1: Make cell A1 the active cell (FIGURE 2).
Click mouse button, keep button depressed & drag mouse across through Column C, then down through Row 3. Now our data is highlighted.
The first cell of a multi-cell block of highlighted cells is not highlighted although it is selected.

STEP 2: Select the B icon (in the Ribbon Home Tab, Font section) (FIGURE 3)

STEP 3:  Click your mouse to unhighlight the range of cells. Now you can clearly see that all of the cells in the range A1:C3 are bolded (FIGURE 4).

Highlighting a cell range prior to applying any type of formatting is faster and more efficient.

STEP 4A: Now we are going to give our data a Title.
Move mouse over to Row 1 header and click mouse to highlight row 1 (FIGURE 5). 

STEP 4B: Right button mouse click the highlighted row 1 (FIGURE 6).
 
STEP 4C: Select Insert from shortcut menu (FIGURE 6).

STEP 4D: ​In cell A1, enter “The World That we Live in” (FIGURE 7).

STEP 4E: Since the data in cell A1 is going to be our heading and we want it to appear on top of data that is spread across columns A – C, we need to merge those cells together and center it. Highlight A1:C1 (FIGURE 8).

STEP 4F: ​Select Merge and Center on the Ribbon, Alignment section (FIGURE 9).

STEP 4G: ​Notice that cells A1, B1, and C1 are merged into one cell, and our title is centered (FIGURE 10). Excel assigns the cell address A1 to the merged cells A1, B1, C1. The cell that is chosen will be the lowest cell address among the merged cells.

STEP 5A: ​We will apply a different color font to the heading. Move mouse up to the Ribbon Font section, locate the font color control and select the arrow next to it (FIGURE 11).

STEP 5B: ​Selecting the arrow gives you a drop-down menu, shown in FIGURE 12.
Go down to the Theme Colors palette (top row) and select Blue, Accent 1 (pointing at the color will show the color name)

STEP 5C: ​Our Title “The Word That we Live in” is now a blue color (FIGURE 13).

STEP 5D: ​Move mouse up to the Ribbon Font section and Select the arrow next to the font size box (FIGURE 14) on the drop down menu:
​​
STEP 5E: ​Change the font size to 18.
Add Italics to the Title (Just below the Font window is the Italics icon).

STEP 5F:  Now our Title is blue, font size 18, and is italicized (FIGURE 15).

STEP 6A: We will add some formatting to rows 2 through 4, except for North Carolina. Highlight A2:C3 (FIGURE 16).

STEP 6B: ​To highlight non-adjacent cells, hold down CTRL key first, then select cells A4 and C4 with your mouse (FIGURE 17).

STEP 6C: ​Add italics formatting to these highlighted cells. Select the Italics icon (FIGURE 18).

STEP 6D: Here is what it should look like completed (FIGURE 19).