A running total tells you how much has piled up, while a rate of change shows...

https://www.bookmarkzoo.win/see-how-a-running-total-differs-from-a-rate-of-change-using-parcel-deliveries

A running total tells you how much has piled up, while a rate of change shows how fast it’s growing. With parcel counts or rainfall, the article explains why units matter and how a daily rate differs from a weekly total over the same span.