How to add numbers using numberline, column and partitioning

Learning how to add numbers is a really important skill. Learn these, practice them and always keep to the same methods!

There are 6 main numeracy skills that will help with your maths. Click here to read more.

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Maths really starts with the concept of addition – learning to add 1 + 1 is probably the first step in the numeracy journey. Future school classes build upon this foundational skill and, along with subtraction, multiplication and division, addition will form the basis of most of your maths investigations.

Learning how to add numbers can become more complex and it’s important to develop confidence in performing calculations. Try not to rely upon your fingers (too much) as your brain is much more powerful! The best option is to learn ‘number bonds’ and go from there. The common ones tend to be:

Addition to 10 i.e.

1 + 9

2 + 8

3 + 7

4 + 6

5 + 5

Also the ‘common multiplication’ or ‘doubling’ type:

2 + 2

4 + 4

6 + 6

8 + 8

Finally some extras that could be useful:

6 + 5

7 + 8

3 + 4

Don’t forget that the order in which you add doesn’t matter – so 1 + 9 is exactly the same as 9 + 1, and  6 + 5 is the same as 5 + 6, and so on. Use the common number bonds to help you with arithmetic addition. Some of the more ‘formal’ methods are below.

Using a numberline

Using partitioning

Partitioning with larger numbers

Formal column method

 

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