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What does "doesn't add up" mean?



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Expression: powdery red stone | Use of Perfect: It sounds like the perfect rabbit for Toby...
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What does "doesn't add up" mean? Sat May 26, 2007 11:51 am  What does "doesn't add up" mean?
 

So, why does "doesn''t add up" mean doesn''t make sense in the sentence "I can't understand why she did that, it really doesn't add up"?
Can "add up" mean make sense directly? Please help me out......
Rebecca L.
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What does "doesn't add up" mean? Sat May 26, 2007 12:35 pm  What does "doesn't add up" mean?
 

Welcome to English-Test, Rebecca!

'Not add up' is an idiomatic phrase which isn't normally used in the positive form.
Conchita
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What does "doesn't add up" mean? Sat May 26, 2007 12:39 pm  What does "doesn't add up" mean?
 

"These numbers don't add up," means that when I add these numbers together, the answer comes out wrong.

If a report in the newspaper says, "57% of the population wants a change in the healthcare system, 48% like their current healthcare, and 25% have no opinion," the numbers don't add up, because instead of coming out to 100%, they come to 130. This means there is something suspicious about the study.

This arithmetic meaning of "doesn't add up" has been extended to various kinds of situations. If all the clues in a situation don't come together in a way that makes sense, we say that things "don't add up".
Jamie (K)
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What does "doesn't add up" mean? Sun May 27, 2007 10:23 am  What does "doesn't add up" mean?
 

Thank you very much for your answers.
You remained me that numbers don't add up are what exactly don't make sense!
Rebecca L.
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Expression: powdery red stone | Use of Perfect: It sounds like the perfect rabbit for Toby...
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms What does "doesn't add up" mean? All times are GMT + 2 Hours
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