Python - sum() - Add all values in an iterable

Overview of the Python sum() function. Sum up provided iterable and return result.

sum(iterable, start=0) simple function that will sum up provided iterable (such as a list or tuple) and return result. This function is primarily intended for use with numeric data.

sum() accepts optional argument start that will be also added to the sum or returned as a default if iterable is empty.

my_list = [17, 0.5, 99]

my_sum = sum(my_list)

print(my_sum)  # 116.5

Output:

116.5

Using sum() with a tuple and an optional start argument

my_tuple = (17, 0.5, 99)

my_sum = sum(my_tuple, start=100)

print(my_sum)  # 216.5

Output:

216.5

Using sum() with an empty iterable and an optional startargument as default

my_list = []

my_sum = sum(my_list, start=100)

print(my_sum)  # 100

Output:

100

Key Points to Remember about sum()

• Intended for Numeric Data: sum() is designed for summing numeric data. Using it on other types will raise a TypeError.

• Optional start argument: The start value is useful for setting an initial value or handling empty iterables.

• Efficiency: sum() is optimized for summing numbers and is generally faster than using a loop for that purpose.

I hope you found this helpful! If you have any feedback, questions or requests, please reach out to me through Contact page!

You might also be interested in:

• 💡 Python - tee() - Duplicate an iterable into multiple iterators
• 💡 Python - all() - Check truthiness of all elements in an iterable
• 💡 Python - min() - Find the smallest value
• 💡 Python - max() - Find the biggest value
• 💡 Python - reduce() - Reduce an iterable to a single value