What formula is used to calculate the sum of a range of cells?

The formula used to calculate the sum of a range of cells is =SUM(range). This function adds together all the values within the specified cell range, allowing users to quickly aggregate data from multiple cells. It is a fundamental function in spreadsheet applications, providing a straightforward way to perform arithmetic operations on large sets of numbers.

The syntax requires you to define the range of cells you wish to include in the summation. For example, if you want to sum the values in cells A1 through A10, you would write =SUM(A1:A10). This function is particularly useful for tasks such as totaling sales figures, calculating expenses, or any situation where aggregating data is necessary.

Other functions listed, such as =AVERAGE, =TOTAL, and =ADD, do not perform the sum operation in the same way. =AVERAGE calculates the mean of the given numbers, while =TOTAL does not exist as a standard formula in spreadsheet software, and =ADD is also not a functional formula in this context. The SUM function is thus the correct choice for summing a range of cells.