Buy Amazing Math Whiz products in our online CafePress store. Buttons, Magnets, t-shirts, Tote bags, Teddy bears, mugs, Clocks, pillows, and more

Books about Magic Squares at Amazon.com Books about Magic Squares at Amazon.Canada and at Amazon.co.UK How to Make a 4x4 Magic Square using an Excel Spreadsheet by John at Mazes.com If you are viewing this with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or later with the Microsoft Office Web Components installed, you should see an actual Excel spreadsheet on this page with blue and purple squares. You can actually change any of the numbers in the blue squares and still have a magic square, though sometimes, you'll have a magic square with duplicate numbers. If you cannot see an Excel Spreadsheet with blue and purple squares, don't despair, because I've put directions further below to create your own. Directions for this web page worksheet Change the number in cell A8 to the actual Magic Sum of your choice. Do NOT change any of the purple numbers ... these are formulas and must not be edited. You may change any of the blue numbers ... these are simply numbers I used to create the page. As long as you do not change any of the purple squares, this page should always contain a magic square, even if sometimes it will have duplicate numbers. You must check for duplicate numbers yourself. Remember, a square with duplicate numbers is still magic, even if it is not as good as another magic square with all different values. The tiny numbers in row 6 and in columns F and G are used to double-check the column sums, row sums, and diagonal sums. The formula in cell C8 compares these check-sums to the magic sum to verify that the square is still "Magic".

Support Our Site by purchasing our Amazing Math Whiz products other Amazing Messages are available

If you do not see an Excel Spreadsheet above, you can follow the directions below and create your own copy of this spreadsheet in your Excel program (or any other spreadsheet program). Once you have such a spreadsheet, you can easily create Magic Squares. You'll find that the hardest part is making sure that you don't have duplicate numbers.

Use These Formulas to Create Your Own
Magic Square Worksheet

• If you put all of these numbers and formulas into a blank worksheet, you should end up with a spreadsheet that will create magic squares of any sum.
• Optional:
  • Click and drag to highlight from cell A1 down to cell D4, then use "Format Cells" to put a thick box "outline" around all the 16 squares and narrow lines "inside" the cells.
  • Click and drag to highlight cells A8 and B8, and use "Format/Cells/Border" to put an outline around the cells box , and put these formulas or numbers or words into these cells:
• Once the spreadsheet is created, you can "unprotect" the 8 cells that contain numbers (click the first number, then hold CTRL down while you click the other seven number cells, then click Format / Cells / Protection / uncheck Locked), then click OK
• Then lock the sheet by clicking Tools / Protection / Protect Sheet / OK
• Once you do the above, you can let friends use your spreadsheet and not worry about their accidentally deleting one or more formulas.

Please show your Appreciation
Donations Deeply Appreciated