Math
SUM
Definition
SUM adds together every number found in the cells, ranges, or values you give it.
Syntax
=SUM(number1, [number2], ...)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
number1 |
The first value to add. It can be a typed number, a single cell, or a range such as B2:B4. |
number2, ... |
Optional extra values or ranges to include in the same total. |
Worked example
A school bake sale tracks how many loaves of each kind were sold. Row 1 holds the headers and the counts sit in B2:B4.
| A: Bread | B: Loaves sold |
|---|---|
| Rye | 14 |
| Seeded | 23 |
| Sourdough | 9 |
Formula: =SUM(B2:B4)
Result: 46. The three counts 14, 23, and 9 are added into one total.
Practice
Cells C2:C5 hold the minutes of four phone calls: 31, 8, 17, and 5. Write a formula that returns the total minutes.
- In C6, write a SUM formula for C2:C5.
- C6 should show the total of C2:C5.
Related functions
SUM returns a total, AVERAGE turns the same cells into a mean, and COUNT tells you how many numbers are in them.
Common mistake
Numbers that were pasted in as text, often shown left-aligned, are skipped when they sit inside a range, so the total comes out lower than expected; convert them to real numbers first.