text: Addition (usually signified by the plus symbol +) is one of the four basic operations of arithmetic, the other three being subtraction, multiplication and division. The addition of two whole numbers results in the total amount or sum of those values combined. The example in the adjacent picture shows a combination of three apples and two apples, making a total of five apples. This observation is equivalent to the mathematical expression “3 + 2 = 5” (i.e., “3 add 2 is equal to 5″). wikipedia