Today you bank Specialism Module 3 Key Assignment 1.
You will finish two files in your Specialism folder: a live problem-solving spreadsheet, and a short written explanation of how that sheet answers your question. Together they are the pack your teacher can bank as evidence.
60-second broken KA: a neat-looking sheet with a total someone typed by hand is not bankable. If you change an input and the answer stays frozen, the model is fake. Today every result must recalculate.
Open {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm3/}} now. Click your Module 3 kickoff problem statement and your strongest Module 3 workbook. Be ready to read your one-sentence question aloud if asked.
If the kickoff page is missing, write one clear sentence now about a real number question from your Something Real project, Work Experience, enterprise, or Practical Achievement work (for example cost per participant, whether a schedule fits the hours, or profit at a sales target). Keep that sentence on screen before Key concepts.
SM3 KA1 is not "make a pretty spreadsheet". It is "use a spreadsheet to answer a real question, then explain how". Use this quality bar while you finish today's pack.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Problem-first spreadsheet — the sheet exists to answer one clear question, not to dump every number you have | Evidence is strongest when a reader can see the question, the inputs, and the answer quickly | "Will I make a profit if I sell 50 phone cases at €12 each?" with costs and a highlighted decision cell |
| Working formulas, not typed totals — results recalculate when inputs change | A fixed number proves nothing; a live formula proves you modelled the problem | Change quantity from 50 to 40 and the profit cell updates automatically |
| Skills explanation — a short written page naming the features you used and why they fit the problem | KA1 needs judgment, not only clicks; the explanation is half the evidence | "I used currency formatting so a reader does not mistake 12 for twelve cent" |
| Bankable pack — spreadsheet + explanation, both named and filed for submission | Teachers verify KA evidence by filename and folder; a loose desktop file is not bankable | {{code:sm3_ka1_problem_solver}} and {{code:sm3_ka1_explanation}} inside {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm3/}} |
Her question was: "Will I make a profit if I sell 50 cases at €12 each, with materials at €4.50 per case and fixed costs of €80?" That shape is the model for your own Something Real numbers today.
Your two KA1 files (course names):
This guided block finishes the solver spreadsheet only: problem sentence, editable inputs, live formulas, highlighted decision, and a quick model test. You are finishing work you already started in Module 3, not building from a blank page unless you have to. Platform paths are in the tabs below.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My "answer" is a number I typed, not a formula | Delete the typed total. Click the result cell and enter a formula that references your input cells (for example {{formula:=B10-B12}}). Change one input to prove the result moves. |
| I see {{code:#DIV/0!}}, {{code:#REF!}}, or {{code:#VALUE!}} | {{code:#DIV/0!}} means a divisor is zero or blank; give that input a real value. {{code:#REF!}} means a referenced cell was deleted; rebuild the formula. {{code:#VALUE!}} usually means text snuck into a number cell; clear and retype the number. |
| I cannot find the Module 3 problem statement | Check {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm3/}} for the kickoff practice page. If it is missing, write a fresh one-sentence problem now that is still true for your Something Real project, then continue. |
| My explanation lists tools but not reasons | Rewrite each point as "I used X because Y". Example: "I used currency format so a reader does not misread the price." |
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