How to keep one cell reference fixed while dragging formula in Google Sheets

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1

I’m working with formulas in Google Sheets and running into an issue. When I create a formula like =sum(C3*D8) and then drag it down to copy the formula to other cells, both cell references automatically update. So I get =sum(C4*D9), =sum(C5*D10), and so on.

The problem is that I want only the first reference (C3, C4, C5) to change as I drag down, but I need the second reference (D8) to stay the same in all formulas. Is there a way to lock one part of the formula so it doesn’t change when I copy it down? I tried different approaches but can’t figure out the right syntax to make one cell reference stay fixed while allowing the other to update normally.

2

Dollar signs create absolute references in spreadsheets. When you use $D$8, both the column (D) and row (8) stay locked. You can also do mixed references - $D8 locks just the column, or D$8 locks just the row. Super helpful with big datasets where you need different combos of fixed and relative references. I use this all the time for formulas that reference lookup tables or constants that shouldn’t change when you copy the formula around.

3

just add $ signs to the D8 cell in ur formula, like this: =sum(C3*$D$8). then, when u drag it down, D8 stays the same while C3 updates. easy peasy!