What is Sum?
The answer to an addition question
A sum is the result you get when you add two or more numbers together. In any addition problem, the total is called the sum.
For example:
- 3 + 2 = 5, so the sum of 3 and 2 is 5
- 10 + 7 + 8 = 25, so the sum of 10, 7, and 8 is 25
The numbers being added are called addends, and the sum is the final result.
Sums are used all the time in everyday life, such as:
- Finding the total cost of items while shopping
- Adding up points in a game
- Calculating time, distance, or measurements
When Do Students Learn About Sums?
Students are introduced to sums as soon as they begin learning about addition, usually in kindergarten or first grade. Their understanding deepens as they work with larger numbers and real-world problems.
Kindergarten – Early Understanding of Addition
Students begin by combining small groups of objects and finding how many there are in total.
Grades 1–2 – Building Fluency with Addition
Students learn addition facts, use number lines and visuals, and begin solving word problems that ask for the sum.
Grades 3–5 – Working with Larger Sums
Students add multi-digit numbers, estimate sums, and solve problems involving addition with money, time, and measurements.
