What is considered an argument in a function?

In the context of functions in Excel, an argument refers to the values or cell references that a function uses to perform its calculations. When you enter a formula, the arguments provide the necessary inputs that the function needs to execute its task. For example, in the SUM function, the arguments might be a range of cells that you want to add together.

Understanding this concept is fundamental because arguments can significantly change the outcome of the function based on what data they reference or include. The ability to correctly identify and use arguments determines how effectively you can utilize functions to analyze and manipulate data in Excel.

The other options represent different aspects of functions. The name of the function identifies what it does, while the calculation method specifies how the function processes the given arguments. The output of the function, on the other hand, is the result produced after the function has performed its operations with the given arguments. However, none of these aspects fit the definition of what constitutes an argument within the function itself.