Reception Maths: The minus sign and number sentences
Part of the Reception Maths taking away within 10 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The minus sign and number sentences
Jack writes a sum to show what happened. He had 5 cubes. He took 2 away. He has 3 left.
He writes 5 − 2 = 3. The minus sign − means take away. The equals sign = means is the same as.
Key ideas
- − means take away.
- = means is the same as.
- Read the sentence: five take away two is the same as three.
Key words. The minus sign − means take away.
Method. Write the first number, the minus sign, the second number, the equals sign and the answer.
- Write the first number. This is the number we start with.5
- Add the minus sign and the number taken away. The minus sign means take away.5 − 2
- Add the equals sign and the answer. The equals sign means is the same as.5 − 2 = 3
- Write the answer. 5 − 2 = 3
Check. Check by adding back: 3 + 2 = 5. ✓
Watch out. Write the minus sign between the two numbers, not a plus sign.
Key words. The minus sign − means take away.
Method. Write the first number, the minus sign, the second number, the equals sign and the answer.
- Write the first number. This is the number we start with.9
- Add the minus sign and the number taken away. The minus sign means take away.9 − 4
- Add the equals sign and the answer. The equals sign means is the same as.9 − 4 = 5
- Write the answer. 9 − 4 = 5
Check. Check by adding back: 5 + 4 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Write the minus sign between the two numbers, not a plus sign.
Key words. Take away means some are removed. The sign − means take away.
Method. Start with all of them. Take away the ones that go, then count what is left.
- Start with 6. Count all the things first.6 in all
- Take away 1. Cross out the ones that are taken away.6 − 1
- Count what is left. Count only the ones that are not crossed out.5 left
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Add them back: 5 + 1 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Count only what is left. Do not count the crossed out ones.
Watch out
Watch out: the minus sign means take away. Do not write a plus sign by mistake.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Write the number sentence on paper with a big minus sign. Read it aloud together: “Five take away two is the same as three.”
Exercise 6C Number sentences with minus
Non-calculatorKey words. The minus sign − means take away.
Method. Write the first number, the minus sign, the second number, the equals sign and the answer.
- Write the first number. This is the number we start with.5
- Add the minus sign and the number taken away. The minus sign means take away.5 − 2
- Add the equals sign and the answer. The equals sign means is the same as.5 − 2 = 3
- Write the answer. 5 − 2 = 3
Check. Check by adding back: 3 + 2 = 5. ✓
Watch out. Write the minus sign between the two numbers, not a plus sign.
Key words. The minus sign − means take away.
Method. Write the first number, the minus sign, the second number, the equals sign and the answer.
- Write the first number. This is the number we start with.9
- Add the minus sign and the number taken away. The minus sign means take away.9 − 4
- Add the equals sign and the answer. The equals sign means is the same as.9 − 4 = 5
- Write the answer. 9 − 4 = 5
Check. Check by adding back: 5 + 4 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Write the minus sign between the two numbers, not a plus sign.
Key words. Take away means some are removed. The sign − means take away.
Method. Start with all of them. Take away the ones that go, then count what is left.
- Start with 6. Count all the things first.6 in all
- Take away 1. Cross out the ones that are taken away.6 − 1
- Count what is left. Count only the ones that are not crossed out.5 left
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Add them back: 5 + 1 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Count only what is left. Do not count the crossed out ones.
Key words. Take away means some are removed. The sign − means take away.
Method. Start with all of them. Take away the ones that go, then count what is left.
- Start with 8. Count all the things first.8 in all
- Take away 3. Cross out the ones that are taken away.8 − 3
- Count what is left. Count only the ones that are not crossed out.5 left
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Add them back: 5 + 3 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Count only what is left. Do not count the crossed out ones.
Method. The minus sign tells us to take something away.
- Look at the sign. It is the minus sign, −.−
- Think about what it does. It means take away.take away
- Write the answer. Take away
Check. In 5 − 2, we take 2 away from 5. ✓
Watch out. The minus sign does not mean add.
Method. The equals sign shows that both sides are the same.
- Look at the sign. It is the equals sign, =.=
- Think about what it shows. Both sides have the same number.same number
- Write the answer. Is the same as
Check. 5 − 2 = 3 means 5 take away 2 is the same as 3. ✓
Watch out. The equals sign tells you the answer is the same.
Key words. The minus sign − means take away.
Method. Write the first number, the minus sign, the second number, the equals sign and the answer.
- Write the first number. This is the number we start with.10
- Add the minus sign and the number taken away. The minus sign means take away.10 − 4
- Add the equals sign and the answer. The equals sign means is the same as.10 − 4 = 6
- Write the answer. 10 − 4 = 6
Check. Check by adding back: 6 + 4 = 10. ✓
Watch out. Write the minus sign between the two numbers, not a plus sign.
Method. Start at 7. Count back until you reach 4. The number of steps is the missing number.
- Start at 7. That is the number we start with.7
- Count back to 4. Count each step as you go down.6, 5, 4
- Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing number.3 steps
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Check: 4 + 3 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you say.
Method. Work out 8 − 3 again, carefully.
- Start with 8. Count all the things first.8
- Take away 3. Count what is left.8 − 3
- Compare with the sentence. The sentence said 4. The answer is 5.4 is not right
- Write the correct sentence. 8 − 3 = 5
Check. Check: 5 + 3 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Check the answer by adding back.
Method. Work out 6 − 2 again, carefully.
- Start with 6. Count all the things first.6
- Take away 2. Count what is left.6 − 2
- Compare with the sentence. The sentence said 3. The answer is 4.3 is not right
- Write the correct sentence. 6 − 2 = 4
Check. Check: 4 + 2 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Check the answer by adding back.
Method. Start at 9. Count back until you reach 6. The number of steps is the missing number.
- Start at 9. That is the number we start with.9
- Count back to 6. Count each step as you go down.8, 7, 6
- Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing number.3 steps
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Check: 6 + 3 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you say.
Method. Think about how much is taken away in each sentence.
- Take away 2 from 7. Count what is left: 5.7 − 2 = 5
- Take away 5 from 7. Count what is left: 2.7 − 5 = 2
- Write the answer. Accept any answer: taking away 2 leaves 5, and taking away 5 leaves 2.
Check. Add back: 5 + 2 = 7 and 2 + 5 = 7. ✓
Watch out. The number taken away changes the answer.