Add a Column of Numbers - Arithmetic Step by Step

Add three numbers (25 + 38 + 14) by summing each place column from right to left, carrying when the column total reaches 10 or more.

column-sum When adding three or more numbers, sum all digits in each place column from right to left. Apply the same carry rule: if the column total is 10 or more, write the ones digit and carry the rest to the next column.

Example

Add 25, 38, and 14 by columns. Stacking the numbers aligns their place values so every ones digit sits in one column and every tens digit in the next. We total each column in turn and carry any overflow to the left, which keeps a longer list of numbers organized and the running sums easy to track.

highlighted = computed this step

Step 1 — Set up

Line up the addends by place value.

\begin{array}{rrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}\\&2&5\\&3&8\\+&1&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\square&\square\end{array}

Step 2 — Ones column

Ones: 5 + 8 + 4 = 17, write 7, carry 1.

\begin{array}{rrr}\phantom{x}&\hl{1}&\phantom{x}\\&2&5\\&3&8\\+&1&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\square&\hl{7}\end{array}

Step 3 — Tens column

Tens: 2 + 3 + 1 + carry 1 = 7, write 7.

\begin{array}{rrr}\phantom{x}&1&\phantom{x}\\&2&5\\&3&8\\+&1&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\hl{7}&7\end{array}

Step 4 — Result

Read the complete answer: 77.

\begin{array}{rrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}\\&2&5\\&3&8\\+&1&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&7&7\end{array},\quad \text{sum}=77