Final answer:
The correct operation when adding a sequence of numbers is to factor the sum, which involves rewriting a sum or difference as a product using the reverse of the distributive property.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a sequence of numbers is added together, the correct operation that can be applied is C) Factor the sum. Factoring is a mathematical process where a sum or difference is rewritten as a product. For example, the distributive property A(B + C) = AB + AC, can be used in reverse to factor out a common factor from a sum.
In contrast, distributing a product refers to applying the distributive property to multiply a number across a sum or difference, as in the distributive law A(B + C) = AB + AC. This law is one of the ways multiplication can be distributed over terms in summation. However, when dealing only with the addition of a sequence of numbers, factoring is the appropriate term.