When copying a formula down, what happens to relative and absolute references?

When copying a formula down, what happens to relative and absolute references?

• A. Relative references update when copied; absolute references stay fixed.
• B. Both relative and absolute references update when copied.
• C. All references stay the same when copied.
• D. Absolute references always convert to relative when copied.

Answer: (C)

When you copy a formula to another cell, relative references shift to match the new location, while absolute references stay pointing to the same cell. For example, a formula in row 1 that adds A1 and B1 becomes A2 + B2 when copied down to row 2. Absolute references like $A$1 or $B$1 keep pointing to A1 and B1 no matter where you paste the formula. So the correct idea is that relative references update when copied and absolute references stay fixed. Absolute references do not convert to relative when copied.

When you copy a formula to another cell, relative references shift to match the new location, while absolute references stay pointing to the same cell. For example, a formula in row 1 that adds A1 and B1 becomes A2 + B2 when copied down to row 2. Absolute references like $A$1 or $B$1 keep pointing to A1 and B1 no matter where you paste the formula. So the correct idea is that relative references update when copied and absolute references stay fixed. Absolute references do not convert to relative when copied.