In Excel, which function adds numeric values in a specified range?

The SUM function is designed specifically to add numeric values within a defined range of cells in Excel. By using this function, you can quickly aggregate totals without needing to manually enter each number or perform calculations individually. For example, the formula =SUM(A1:A10) will calculate the total of all the values from cells A1 to A10, providing a straightforward way to manage and analyze numeric data.

In contrast, the other functions serve different purposes. The AVERAGE function calculates the mean of a specified range, taking into account both the sum of the numbers and the count of those numbers, rather than just adding values. The COUNT function counts the number of cells that contain numeric data, which is useful for tracking how many entries exist, but it does not perform any addition. Lastly, the MAX function identifies the highest numeric value in a given range rather than performing any summation. Each of these functions plays a distinct role in data analysis, but when it comes to adding values, the SUM function is the appropriate choice.