JENECONKMaths Universe

Addition

Ages 5–9

Difficulty adapts to you

Addition

Addition means putting things together to find the total. The symbol is + (plus). The answer is called the sum.

Your goals

  • ✓You can add numbers together to find the total.
  • ✓You can use addend, sum correctly.
  • ✓You can estimate first or subtract one addend from your sum.

Words to know

addend:
A number being added.
sum:
The result of addition.

Examples

  • 13 + 4 = 7 — three plus four equals seven.
  • 212 + 8 = 20 — twelve plus eight equals twenty.

More than one way to solve it

Try each method, then choose the one you can explain and check most clearly.

Method 1

Partition by place value

Best for: Larger numbers and written work
  1. 1.Split each number into hundreds, tens, and ones.
  2. 2.Add matching place values.
  3. 3.Combine the partial totals.

Example: 47 + 36 = (40 + 30) + (7 + 6) = 70 + 13 = 83.

Method 2

Compensation

Best for: Numbers close to a friendly ten or hundred
  1. 1.Round one addend to a friendly number.
  2. 2.Add it.
  3. 3.Undo the amount you added when rounding.

Example: 58 + 27 = 60 + 27 - 2 = 85.

Method 3

Column addition

Best for: Reliable calculation with several digits
  1. 1.Align place values.
  2. 2.Add from right to left.
  3. 3.Regroup when a column totals ten or more.

Example: 368 + 257: add ones, tens, then hundreds to get 625.

Check these

  • • Do not misalign ones, tens, hundreds, or decimal places.
  • • Keep every number, symbol, label, and unit in its correct place.
  • • Choose the method that makes each step easiest to explain and check.

Helpful habits

  • • Read the whole question before choosing what to do.
  • • Show one clear step at a time and check each step.
  • • If you are stuck, draw a model, try smaller numbers, or revisit the example.

Now try your own

Create your own addition example, solve it, and explain how you checked it.

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