The **`sum()` method** in Python returns the sum of the iterable object inside it.

# Syntax
This method is declared as follows:


# Parameters
Two parameters can go inside the `sum()` method: 
* an iterable object 
* an additive value 

The **iterable object** can be a *list* or a *tuple*. 

The **additive value** is an *optional parameter* that gets added to the final sum of the iterable object.

# Return value
The return value of the `sum()` method can be an integer or a floating-point number.


# Example
In the example below, `x` is a tuple of integers and `val` is the additive value. Since the additive value is an optional parameter, the `sum()` method can also be used without it. 

In the second example, `sum()` only returns the sum of the integers inside `x` because it does not have the second optional argument in it.

# Sum() method with both parameters
x = (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
val = 10
print sum(x, val)

# Sum() method with the only mandatory parameter
print sum(x)



What is sum() in Python?

The sum() method in Python returns the sum of elements in an iterable, optionally adding a second additive value.