Find matching amounts: Use our Target Sum Finder to search up to 20 amounts for an exact target total. Each input line can be used once in a combination. The tool supports negative amounts and up to two decimal places, and shows up to 50 matches.
What Does a Combination Sum Calculator Do?
A combination sum problem asks which numbers add up to a target. The answer depends on an important rule: can you reuse a value, or can you only use the entries you actually have?
For a list of payments, expenses, or other recorded amounts, each line represents one entry. Our Target Sum Finder uses this subset matching rule. It does not create additional copies of an amount that appears only once.
For example, the lines 2, 3, 5, and 7 have two combinations that make 10:
- Lines 2 and 4:
3 + 7 = 10 - Lines 1, 2, and 3:
2 + 3 + 5 = 10
The value 5 appears once, so 5 + 5 is not a match for this list.
Each Line Once vs. Reusing Values
| Rule | What it means | Example: 2, 3, 6, 7, target 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Each input line at most once | Match existing entries; supported by Target Sum Finder | Only the line containing 7 |
| Values reusable without limit | Generate combinations from available denominations; not supported by this tool | 7 and 2 + 2 + 3 |
A source line can appear in several alternative results, but never twice within one result. If two separate lines contain the same amount, they are separate entries and remain distinguishable by their original line numbers.
How to Find Amounts That Match a Total
- Open the Target Sum Finder.
- Paste a single column of amounts, one amount per line, with no header. Use at most 20 non-empty lines.
- Enter the exact target amount using the same currency and units.
- Select Find combinations.
- Review each result's original line numbers, amounts, and total. Copy an individual combination or all displayed matches.
Use a decimal point and at most two decimal places. Negative amounts and zero are supported. Enter 1000.00 for one thousand: commas, currency symbols, scientific notation, and multiple columns are not accepted in this tool. Blank lines are ignored without renumbering the source lines.
Invalid input is reported with its line number and must be fixed before searching. Amounts are matched exactly in integer cents. Both the target's magnitude and the sum of all absolute input amounts must fit within 90,071,992,547,409.91.
Example: Duplicate Amounts Are Separate Entries
Paste:
10.00
10.00
20.00
-5.00
For a target of 20.00, the complete matches are:
- Line 3:
20.00 - Lines 1 and 2:
10.00 + 10.00 = 20.00
For a target of 10.00, line 1 and line 2 are two separate matches, even though they display the same amount. Keeping the original line numbers helps you identify which source entry a result refers to.
Example: Negative Adjustments and a Zero Target
With lines 12.50, -2.50, and 3.00, lines 1 and 2 match a target of 10.00.
With lines 5.00, -5.00, and 0.00, a zero target has three matches: lines 1 and 2, line 3 alone, and all three lines. An empty selection is never shown as a match.
Negative amounts mean a partial sum can exceed the target and later return to it. The search must account for those possibilities rather than discarding a combination simply because an intermediate total is too high.
Understand the Search Status
- Search complete: The tool has finished checking the list. If there are no matches, no non-empty subset of the submitted lines exactly equals the target.
- More matches exist: The tool displays 50 combinations and stops after confirming there are additional matches. The displayed list is incomplete.
- Search timed out: Any displayed combinations are valid matches found so far, but the search is incomplete. Zero results at this point does not mean no solution exists. Try a smaller list.
The tool uses a bounded search for lists of up to 20 amounts. It does not promise every combination instantly for arbitrary list sizes. Results are alternatives; they are not ranked recommendations and do not establish that a particular set of transactions belongs together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are my amounts uploaded or saved in history?
The matching runs in your browser. This tool does not upload the amounts or save them in calculation history. Copying results uses your device clipboard.
Can I upload a spreadsheet or connect a bank account?
No. Copy and paste one numeric column as plain text. The tool has no file upload, account, or bank connection.
Can I request an approximate match or reuse a line?
No. This version supports exact matches to two decimal places, with each line used at most once per combination. If your task allows unlimited reuse, its results will differ from this tool's subset matching.
What if I just need to add the whole list or evaluate a formula?
Use the Sum Calculator to total a list, the Summation Calculator to evaluate a formula over an integer range, or the Sum of Series Calculator for predefined sequences. Those tools solve different tasks from matching a subset to a target.