Learn English – When can I use “sum”, “amount” and “total”

meaning-in-contextsynonymsword-differenceword-meaning

I think they can be synonymous in some context, but how to learn in which context I can use one and not another? Can you explain and give example about the precise meaning.

Best Answer

amount

is only a number expressing a quantity

sum

is the result of adding numbers together

total

is the result of calculation, not necessarily by addition

Sum and total are amounts.
A sum is a total amount through addition.
A total is a cumulative amount.

2 + 4 + 5, sum is 11, total is 11, amount is 11
2 *4 *5, total is 40, amount is 40, there is no sum since it is multiplication