Reception Maths Adding within 10: check-up and practice test questions

Key words. Add means put together. The sum is the total.

Method. Put the two groups together. Then count all the things, one at a time.

1. Count the first group: 2. Touch each one once.
   2
2. Count the second group: 4. Put the groups together and count on.
   2 + 4
3. Count all of them. Count from 1 to the total, touching each thing once.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
4. Write the answer.
   6

Check. Count the whole group from the other end. You get 6 again. ✓

Watch out. Do not count the first group again from 1 when you count all.

Key words. The plus sign + means add. The equals sign = means is the same as.

Method. Write the two numbers, the plus sign, the equals sign and the total.

1. Write the first number. This is the first group.
   3
2. Add the plus sign and the second number. The plus sign means put together.
   3 + 4
3. Add the equals sign and the total. The equals sign means is the same as.
   3 + 4 = 7
4. Write the answer.
   3 + 4 = 7

Check. Read the sentence aloud in your head: 3 add 4 is the same as 7. ✓

Watch out. Write the equals sign at the end. Do not miss it out.

Key words. Add means put together. The sum is the total.

Method. Put the two groups together. Then count all the things, one at a time.

1. Count the first group: 2. Touch each one once.
   2
2. Count the second group: 5. Put the groups together and count on.
   2 + 5
3. Count all of them. Count from 1 to the total, touching each thing once.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
4. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Count the whole group from the other end. You get 7 again. ✓

Watch out. Do not count the first group again from 1 when you count all.

Key words. Count on means start at one number and keep counting up.

Method. Start at the bigger number. Then count on the smaller number.

1. Start at 5. It is the bigger number, so we start there.
   5
2. Count on 2 more. Say each number as you count on.
   5, 6, 7
3. Write the answer. The last number you say is the total.
   7

Check. Count back 2 from 7: you get to 5. ✓

Watch out. Start with the bigger number, not the smaller one. It takes fewer steps.

Method. A double is two equal groups. Add the same number twice.

1. Look at the two equal groups of 4. Both groups are the same.
   4 and 4
2. Count on from the first group. Count on the second group, one at a time.
   4 + 4
3. Write the answer.
   8

Check. Count 4 and 4 together: 8. ✓

Watch out. When both parts are the same, it is a double.

Method. A near double is a double plus one. Use 3 + 3 and then add one more.

1. Think of 3 + 3. That is a double, so you know it.
   3 + 3 = 6
2. Add one more. The second number is one more, so add one.
   6 + 1 = 7
3. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Count 3 and 4 together: 7. ✓

Watch out. Use the double you know, then add one more.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 5. Start from the top left.
   5
2. Count the yellow counters: 3. They go after the red counters.
   5 + 3
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 8
4. Write the answer.
   8

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 8. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Add two numbers first. Then add the third number to the total.

1. Add 2 and 3. Put the first two together.
   2 + 3 = 5
2. Add 4 more. Count on from the total.
   5 + 4 = 9
3. Write the answer.
   9

Check. Check by adding in a different order: 4 + 2 + 3 = 9. ✓

Watch out. Keep the total small. Three numbers must still make 10 or less here.

Key words. Count on means start at one number and keep counting up.

Method. Start at the bigger number. Then count on the smaller number.

1. Start at 6. It is the bigger number, so we start there.
   6
2. Count on 3 more. Say each number as you count on.
   6, 7, 8, 9
3. Write the answer. The last number you say is the total.
   9

Check. Count back 3 from 9: you get to 6. ✓

Watch out. Start with the bigger number, not the smaller one. It takes fewer steps.

Method. Think about how many steps you count.

1. Count 2 + 7 from 2. That is seven steps.
   7 steps
2. Count 7 + 2 from 7. That is only two steps.
   2 steps
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: starting at the bigger number needs fewer steps.

Check. Both give 9. The second way is quicker. ✓

Watch out. Start with the bigger number.

Key words. Add means put together. The sum is the total.

Method. Put the two groups together. Then count all the things, one at a time.

1. Count the first group: 2. Touch each one once.
   2
2. Count the second group: 3. Put the groups together and count on.
   2 + 3
3. Count all of them. Count from 1 to the total, touching each thing once.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5
4. Write the answer.
   5

Check. Count the whole group from the other end. You get 5 again. ✓

Watch out. Do not count the first group again from 1 when you count all.

Key words. The plus sign + means add. The equals sign = means is the same as.

Method. Write the two numbers, the plus sign, the equals sign and the total.

1. Write the first number. This is the first group.
   2
2. Add the plus sign and the second number. The plus sign means put together.
   2 + 6
3. Add the equals sign and the total. The equals sign means is the same as.
   2 + 6 = 8
4. Write the answer.
   2 + 6 = 8

Check. Read the sentence aloud in your head: 2 add 6 is the same as 8. ✓

Watch out. Write the equals sign at the end. Do not miss it out.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 6. Start from the top left.
   6
2. Count the yellow counters: 3. They go after the red counters.
   6 + 3
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 9
4. Write the answer.
   9

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 9. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Start at 4. Count on until you reach 9. The number of steps is the missing number.

1. Start at 4. That is the first group.
   4
2. Count on to 9. Say each number as you count on.
   5, 6, 7, 8, 9
3. Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing part.
   5 steps
4. Write the answer.
   5

Check. Count on 5 from 4: you reach 9. ✓

Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you start with.

Key words. The plus sign + means add. The equals sign = means is the same as.

Method. Write the two numbers, the plus sign, the equals sign and the total.

1. Write the first number. This is the first group.
   3
2. Add the plus sign and the second number. The plus sign means put together.
   3 + 5
3. Add the equals sign and the total. The equals sign means is the same as.
   3 + 5 = 8
4. Write the answer.
   3 + 5 = 8

Check. Read the sentence aloud in your head: 3 add 5 is the same as 8. ✓

Watch out. Write the equals sign at the end. Do not miss it out.

Key words. Count on means start at one number and keep counting up.

Method. Start at the bigger number. Then count on the smaller number.

1. Start at 6. It is the bigger number, so we start there.
   6
2. Count on 2 more. Say each number as you count on.
   6, 7, 8
3. Write the answer. The last number you say is the total.
   8

Check. Count back 2 from 8: you get to 6. ✓

Watch out. Start with the bigger number, not the smaller one. It takes fewer steps.

Method. Count each sum to check.

1. Count 2 + 3. Count all the things.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5
2. Count 3 + 2. Count all the things in the other order.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3. Compare the totals. Both totals are the same.
   5 = 5
4. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: the same two groups are put together, so the total is 5 both ways.

Check. Both sums make 5. ✓

Watch out. The order of the groups does not change the total.

Method. Start from the double you know, then take one away.

1. Think of 5 + 5. That is a double, which is 10.
   5 + 5 = 10
2. Compare 5 + 4. The second number is one less, so the total is one less.
   10 − 1 = 9
3. Write the answer.
   5 + 4 is 9, because 5 + 5 is 10 and 5 + 4 is one less.

Check. Count 5 + 4 on from 5: 6, 7, 8, 9. ✓

Watch out. Check the total by counting on.

Method. Start at 7 and count on 2.

1. Start at 7. That is the number of counters in the frame.
   7
2. Count on 2. Say each number as you count on.
   8, 9
3. Write the answer.
   9 counters. I started at 7 and counted on 2.

Check. Count 7 + 2 the other way: 2 + 7 = 9. ✓

Watch out. Start at the bigger number.

Method. Choose two pairs that add to 7.

1. Choose the first pair. Pick two numbers that make 7.
   3 + 4
2. Choose a different pair. Pick two different numbers that also make 7.
   2 + 5
3. Check both sums. Count on to make sure.
   3 + 4 = 7 and 2 + 5 = 7
4. Write the answer.
   Accept any two correct sentences that make 7, such as 3 + 4 = 7 and 2 + 5 = 7.

Check. Count 3 + 4 and 2 + 5: both reach 7. ✓

Watch out. Each sentence must add up to 7.