In Microsoft Excel, pressing the left arrow key moves the active selection in which direction on the worksheet?

Introduction / Context:
Microsoft Excel is a widely used spreadsheet application where data is arranged in rows and columns. Users frequently move around the worksheet to select different cells. Understanding how basic keyboard keys move the active cell is part of essential computer awareness. The arrow keys provide quick navigation. This question asks specifically what happens when the left arrow key is pressed in Excel.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are using Microsoft Excel or a similar spreadsheet program.
• The active cell is the currently selected cell.
• The question focuses on the effect of pressing the left arrow key once.
• No special key combinations like Ctrl or Shift are being used.

Concept / Approach:
In Excel, the arrow keys move the active cell one step in the direction of the arrow. The up arrow moves the selection one cell up, the down arrow moves it one cell down, the right arrow moves it one cell to the right and the left arrow moves it one cell to the left. Unless special features like Scroll Lock interfere, this is the default behavior. Therefore, the logical answer is that the left arrow key moves the selection one cell left on the worksheet.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Visualize the Excel grid with cells arranged in columns A, B, C and so on.Step 2: Imagine the active cell is currently at column C in a particular row.Step 3: Pressing the left arrow key should logically move from C to B within the same row.Step 4: This movement is exactly one cell to the left.Step 5: Compare this with up arrow, which would change the row, and right arrow, which would move to the next column to the right.Step 6: Confirm that the left arrow key moves the selection one cell left.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can easily check this behavior by opening Excel and selecting any cell. When you press the left arrow key, the highlight will move from, for example, D5 to C5. This change shows that the column index has decreased by one while the row remains the same. Repeating the key press continues to move the active cell horizontally toward column A. This practical test confirms that the function of the left arrow key is to move one cell left.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A, one cell up, describes the effect of the up arrow key, not the left arrow key.
• Option B, one cell down, corresponds to the down arrow key.
• Option D, one cell right, is the function of the right arrow key.
• Option E, to the first cell in the row, would require a different shortcut, such as Home, and not a single left arrow press.

Common Pitfalls:
Some users may confuse arrow key behavior with other shortcuts like Tab or Enter, which move in different patterns across cells when entering data. Others may not distinguish between moving the active cell and scrolling the worksheet view. For basic exam questions, always focus on the simple default movement of the active cell: each arrow key moves one cell in its direction.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is One cell left.