By default cell reference is

In spreadsheet applications, when a cell reference is entered without any special symbols, it is treated as a relative reference by default.

A relative reference (like A1, B2, etc.) automatically adjusts when a formula is copied to another cell. The reference changes based on the relative position of the destination cell.

For example:

• If cell C1 contains the formula =A1+B1
• When copied to C2, it automatically becomes =A2+B2

To create other types of references:

• Absolute reference: Use dollar signs before both column and row (e.g., $A$1) - remains fixed when copied
• Mixed reference: Use dollar sign before either column or row (e.g., $A1 or A$1) - partially fixed
• These require explicit symbols to be added

Since no special symbols are needed for relative references and they adjust automatically, this is the default behavior in spreadsheet software.

Correct Answer: Option 2 - Relative