Difference Between Rows and Columns

Rows vs Columns

Rows and columns both refer to how things are arranged either vertically or horizontally. The use of theses words are usually interchanged because they are sometimes confusing to think about. Rows are arranged horizontally, from left to right, while columns are arranged vertically, from top to bottom.

In a classroom setting, a common mistake for teachers is when they label each set of chairs arranged vertically as row 1, row 2, row 3, and so on, which is absolutely wrong. It should be column 1, column 2, and column 3, and so on.

In a spreadsheet, we can see cells divided into rows and columns. But how can you distinguish the rows from the columns? When looking at the diagram, the rows run horizontally from left to right, while columns run vertically from top to bottom. Excel spreadsheets have hints to determine a row and column. When you plan to delete or add each of them, example delete/add rows “above” or “below.” This means that the rows are arranged horizontally because of the words “above” and “below.” Same with columns delete/add columns to the “right” or to the “left,” meaning they are arranged vertically because of the words “right” and “left.” Also, in Excel spreadsheets, columns are labeled as A, B, C… while rows are labeled as 1, 2, 3… You can find this label at the upper part and left side of the spreadsheet.

For you to easily recall the difference between the two, when speaking of rows, think of a row garden where the plants grow lengthwise across the field. It is not possible to go up because a field is flat and two dimensional. For columns, think of a newspaper column wherein articles are divided and arranged upward and going downward. They are never arranged from left to right.

In a database, rows are still from left to right as columns are from top to bottom. To identify which is which, the rows contain information like name, gender, age, etc. while a column contains similar information about anyone that is listed in the database.

In conclusion, to avoid any confusion, just put in your mind that columns go up and down while rows go side to side.

Summary:

1. Rows and columns are the manner of arranging things either vertically or horizontally.
2. Rows are arranged horizontally, from left to right, while columns are arranged vertically, from top to bottom.
3. In a classroom setting, when referring to chairs and tables aligned vertically, teachers must not say row 1, row 2, row 3. Instead it should be column 1, column 2, and column 3.
4. In a spreadsheet, rows run horizontally from left to right while columns run vertically from top to bottom.
5. In an Excel spreadsheet, when adding or deleting rows or columns, your clue in distinguishing a row from a column is through the options “delete/ add rows above/below” or “delete/ add columns to the left/ to the right.”
6. To easily recall the difference between rows from columns, rows are like row gardens while columns are from newspaper columns where articles are divided and arranged from top to bottom.
9. In a database, rows contain information like name, gender, age, etc. while a column contains similar information about anyone that is listed in the database.
8. In conclusion, columns go up and down while rows go side to side.

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