What is the function for addition in Microsoft Excel?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The SUM function performs addition in Excel and is written =SUM(cell:cell).

Relevant concepts: Excel formulas begin with =, SUM is the built-in function for adding numbers, parentheses enclose its arguments, a colon (:) denotes a contiguous range, and commas separate noncontiguous arguments. SUM accepts ranges (e.g., A1:A10), individual cells (e.g., A1,A3), or a mix.

Step-by-step reasoning with an example:
1. Place values: A1 = 3, A2 = 5, A3 = 2.
2. Enter the formula =SUM(A1:A3) into another cell.
3. Excel evaluates the argument A1:A3 as the set {3, 5, 2}.
4. SUM adds these values: 3 + 5 + 2 = 10.
5. The formula returns 10.

Intermediate steps shown explicitly:
- Identify range A1:A3 → values extracted → {3, 5, 2}
- Compute 3 + 5 = 8
- Compute 8 + 2 = 10
- Output = 10

Why this is correct: SUM is optimized for adding ranges and ignores empty cells or text. Using the range notation cell:cell lets you add all cells between the two references (inclusive) with a single, readable formula. Preceding it with = marks it as a formula.

Why other common alternatives are incorrect or less appropriate:
- =ADD(...) — there is no built-in ADD function in Excel, so this is invalid.
- =SUM(cell, cell) — while valid for listing individual cells (comma-separated), it does not use the range notation; it’s not wrong but differs from the concise range format in the correct answer.
- =cell+cell — works for a few cells but is impractical for long ranges and less readable.
- =SUM(cell-cell) — subtraction, not addition, and incorrect syntax for SUM.

Conclusion: The correct function for addition in Excel using range notation is =sum(cell:cell), matching the provided answer.

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