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Logan has been asked to create a spreadsheet for her club that includes first name, last name, and the age of each member. She needs to create a five-character nickname that would include at least one number. She decides to take pieces of each member’s first name, last name, and the date they joined the club to create the nickname. Explain how Logan can use string functions to meet her goal.

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To create a five-character nickname that includes at least one number, Logan can utilize various string functions available in spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how she can achieve this:

  1. Extract Characters from Names:

    • Logan can use the LEFT, RIGHT, and MID functions to extract specific segments of each member's first name and last name.
      • For example:
        • LEFT(A2, 2) would extract the first two characters from the first name in cell A2.
        • RIGHT(B2, 2) would extract the last two characters from the last name in cell B2.
        • MID(C2, 1, 1) would extract the first character from a date in cell C2 (assuming the date joined is in cell C2).

  2. Include a Number:

    • Logan can incorporate a specific number, such as the year the member joined the club or any arbitrary number. If the year is available in the date the member joined, she can extract it using the YEAR function:
      • YEAR(C2) will extract the year from the date in C2.

  3. Concatenate the String:

    • After extracting the necessary pieces, Logan can use the CONCATENATE function or the & operator to combine these pieces into a single five-character nickname.
      • For example: 
        =LEFT(A2, 2) & RIGHT(B2, 2) & MID(TEXT(YEAR(C2), "00"), 1, 1)
      • This formula would create a nickname that takes the first two characters of the first name, the last two characters of the last name, and includes one character from the year they joined (the first digit of the year).

  4. Ensure the Length is Exactly Five Characters:

    • If the extracted parts combined exceed five characters, Logan can use the LEFT function again to shorten it to five characters: 
      =LEFT(LEFT(A2, 2) & RIGHT(B2, 2) & MID(TEXT(YEAR(C2), "00"), 1, 1), 5)
    • Alternatively, if she finds that certain combinations produce fewer than five characters, she can adjust which parts she includes (e.g., using an additional character from the names or a constant number) to ensure the nickname is always five characters long.

  5. Formula Example:

    • Here’s a complete example assuming:
      • A2 is the first name, B2 is the last name, and C2 is the date of joining.
      =LEFT(A2, 2) & RIGHT(B2, 2) & MID(TEXT(YEAR(C2), "00"), 1, 1)
    • If this results in fewer than five characters, Logan can then consider adjusting or adding more characters from either the first name or last name where necessary.

By following these steps and utilizing string functions effectively, Logan can create unique, five-character nicknames that include numbers for each member of her club.