Addition is the process of combining two or more quantities and counting the total. It is represented by the plus (+) symbol. An example is adding 2 balloons and 3 balloons to get a total of 5 balloons. Addition can be used to combine any items that relate in some way, such as tools, peppers, or balls. A word problem example adds 2 apples and 3 oranges for a total of 5 pieces of fruit.