What describes a mixed reference in a spreadsheet?

A mixed reference in a spreadsheet refers to a specific way of referencing cells that combines both absolute and relative references. In this context, a mixed reference means that one part of the reference (either the row or the column) is fixed, while the other part can adjust when the formula is copied to another location.

When only the column is fixed and the row changes, it indicates that the column reference will remain constant across different cells, while the row reference will adjust based on where the formula is moved. This allows for flexibility in calculations, particularly when you want to maintain a specific column's values while applying the formula across various rows.

This characteristic of mixed references makes them particularly useful in scenarios such as creating tables for repeated calculations against a fixed set of values (such as tax rates or pricing) that appear in the same column but must be applied to different rows of data.