How do you syntactically add numbers in a list in Python?

The syntactically correct way to add numbers in a list in Python can indeed be done effectively using the sum() function. This function takes an iterable, such as a list of numbers, and returns the total sum of its elements efficiently and succinctly.

When using a for loop with a total variable, you would initialize a variable (like total) to zero, then iterate through the list, adding each number to total. This method is straightforward and intuitive, as it provides a clear step-by-step accumulation of the numbers, and it is a good practice for beginners to understand the underlying mechanics of summing numbers.

Though the for loop approach is valid, it is not the most concise or idiomatic way to achieve the task in Python, especially when the sum() function exists. Other methods like using list comprehension or the append() method do not directly apply to adding numbers as they are either focused on creating lists or modifying them, rather than computing a sum.

Using sum() would typically be the preferred approach for its clarity and efficiency, but both the for loop and total variable method are fundamentally valid ways to arrive at the sum.