The word "retotal" is spelled with a silent "e" at the end, which represents the long vowel sound of the preceding vowel. The IPA phonetic transcription for "retotal" is /riːˈtəʊtəl/. The first syllable has a long "e" sound, represented by the phonetic symbol /iː/. The second syllable contains the schwa vowel, represented by the phonetic symbol /ə/. The final syllable also has the long "o" sound, represented by the phonetic symbol /əʊ/. Overall, the spelling of "retotal" reflects its pronunciation through various vowel sounds.
The term "retotal" refers to the act of recounting and adding up numbers or figures in order to verify their accuracy. It involves the process of carefully reviewing and reassessing the individual components of a particular total, sum, or calculation. This practice is commonly employed in various fields such as finance, accounting, mathematics, and data analysis to ensure precision and reliability.
When carrying out a retotal, one compares the current tally or calculation with the original value to identify any discrepancies or errors that might have occurred during the initial counting or summing. This meticulous examination may involve cross-checking the individual elements, recalculating the values, and meticulously reviewing the steps and methodologies utilized in the original calculation.
Retotals are typically performed when there is suspicion of inaccuracies, discrepancies, or mistakes in the original calculation, or in response to a request from a supervisor, client, or authority seeking to validate the accuracy and integrity of the provided numbers. By conducting a retotal, one aims to rectify any potential errors, enhance the precision of the figures, and increase the overall credibility of the final result.
In summary, retotaling is the process of recounting and revising numbers or figures to ensure accuracy and reliability. It serves as a vital quality control measure to validate the integrity of calculations and provide trustworthy and transparent results.
The word "retotal" can be broken down into two parts to understand its etymology: "re-" and "total".
The prefix "re-" is derived from Latin and means "again" or "back". It is commonly used in English to indicate repetition or going back to a previous state or action.
The term "total" comes from the Late Latin word "totalis", meaning "complete" or "entire". "Totalis" is believed to have originated from the Latin word "tollere", which means "to lift" or "to take away".
Combining these two components, "retotal" describes the act of counting or adding up a set of numbers again to check for accuracy or reassess the total. The word emphasizes the idea of going back and recomputing the sum to ensure correctness.