The SUM() function in Excel:

The SUM() function in Excel:

• A. Total of a range
• B. Average of a range
• C. Count of numeric entries
• D. Minimum value

Answer: (A)

The function that adds up numbers in a range to give a total is what SUM does. You point SUM to a block of cells, and it returns the total of all numeric entries in that block. It’s ideal for calculating a grand total, like total sales, expenses, or hours worked. Non-numeric entries, including text labels and empty cells, are simply ignored, so they don’t affect the result. If you needed an average, you’d use a function designed for that. If you needed to know how many numeric entries there are, you’d use a counting function. To find the smallest value, you’d use a function that returns the minimum. In this context, SUM is the right tool because its purpose is to compute a total by summing a range.

The function that adds up numbers in a range to give a total is what SUM does. You point SUM to a block of cells, and it returns the total of all numeric entries in that block. It’s ideal for calculating a grand total, like total sales, expenses, or hours worked. Non-numeric entries, including text labels and empty cells, are simply ignored, so they don’t affect the result.

If you needed an average, you’d use a function designed for that. If you needed to know how many numeric entries there are, you’d use a counting function. To find the smallest value, you’d use a function that returns the minimum. In this context, SUM is the right tool because its purpose is to compute a total by summing a range.