Reception Maths: Number sentences with + and =

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

Check. Read the sentence aloud in your head: 1 add 2 is the same as 3. ✓

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

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

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

Method. The plus sign tells us to put groups together.

1. Look at the sign. It is the plus sign, +.
   +
2. Think about what it does. It means put together, or add.
   put together
3. Write the answer.
   Put together

Check. In 2 + 3, we put the 2 and the 3 together. ✓

Watch out. The plus sign does not mean take away.

Method. The equals sign shows that two sides are the same.

1. Look at the sign. It is the equals sign, =.
   =
2. Think about what it shows. Both sides have the same total.
   same total
3. Write the answer.
   Is the same as

Check. 2 + 3 = 5 means 2 + 3 is the same as 5. ✓

Watch out. The equals sign does not mean the answer comes next. It means is the same as.

Method. Start at 5. Count on until you reach 9. The number of steps is the missing number.

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

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

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

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: 3. Touch each one once.
   3
2. Count the second group: 6. Put the groups together and count on.
   3 + 6
3. Count all of them. Count from 1 to the total, touching each thing once.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
4. Write the answer.
   9

Check. Count the whole group from the other end. You get 9 again. ✓

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

Method. Count 2 and 4 together to check the total.

1. Count 2 and 4. Count all the things, one at a time.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
2. Find the total. The total is 6, not 7.
   2 + 4 = 6
3. Write the answer.
   2 + 4 = 6

Check. Count the whole group again: 6. ✓

Watch out. Check the total, do not guess.

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.

Method. Count the two groups of 4, then write the total.

1. Count the first 4. Four things.
   4
2. Count the second 4. Four more things.
   4 + 4
3. Find the total. Four and four make 8, not 9.
   4 + 4 = 8
4. Write the answer.
   4 + 4 = 8

Check. Count 8 things in all: 1 to 8. ✓

Watch out. Check the total, not what it looks like.

Method. Start at 2. Count on until you reach 6. The number of steps is the missing number.

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

Check. Count on 4 from 2: you reach 6. ✓

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

Method. Think about the two groups.

1. Look at the groups. The same two groups are in both sums.
   2 and 3
2. Think about the order. Putting them together works in either order.
   order does not matter
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: the same two groups are put together, so the total is the same.

Check. Count both sums: 5 and 5. ✓

Watch out. Changing the order does not change the total.