Are there 50 states or 52 states?

Excuse me, could you clarify something for me? In the United States of America, I've heard different numbers regarding the total number of states. Some say there are 50 states, while others claim it's 52. Could you possibly shed some light on this and help me understand which figure is accurate? It's been bugging me for quite some time, and I'd appreciate any insight you could provide.