Year 1: Tens and ones with ten frames
Part of the Year 1 numbers to 20 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Tens and ones with ten frames
A ten frame is a box with two rows of five spaces. It has ten spaces for counters. When all ten spaces are full, we have one ten.
For a teen number, we fill one ten frame, then put the rest on a second frame. The full ten is one ten. The counters that are left over are the ones.
So 13 is 1 ten and 3 ones.
Key ideas
- A ten frame has 10 spaces.
- A full ten frame is one ten.
- The counters left over are the ones.
- 13 is 1 ten and 3 ones.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.6 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 6 = 16
- Write the answer. 16
Check. Count all 16 counters one at a time. You get 16 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Start with the tens. Then add the ones.
- Start with the tens. One ten is 10 counters.1 ten = 10
- Add the ones. Count the ones on after the tens.10 + 4 = 14
- Write the answer. 14
Check. 1 ten and 4 ones is 14. ✓
Watch out. Do not write the tens and the ones next to each other. Add them to make one number.
Method. Count the full tens first. Then count the ones that are left.
- Count the tens. A ten is ten counters, or one full ten frame.1 ten = 10
- Count the ones. The ones are the counters that are left over.8 ones
- Write it with tens and ones. Say the tens first, then the ones.1 ten and 8 ones
Check. 10 + 8 = 18, so 18 is 1 ten and 8 ones. ✓
Watch out. Say the tens first, then the ones. One ten is 10, not 1.
Watch out
Watch out: count the full ten as ten, not as one. Do not count every counter in a full ten frame again. Start with ten, then count on the ones.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Draw a ten frame on paper: two rows of five boxes. Use buttons or dried pasta as counters. Ask your child to fill the first frame, then tell you how many tens and ones there are.
Exercise 4C Ten frames, tens and ones
Non-calculatorMethod. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.1 one
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 1 = 11
- Write the answer. 11
Check. Count all 11 counters one at a time. You get 11 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.4 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 4 = 14
- Write the answer. 14
Check. Count all 14 counters one at a time. You get 14 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.7 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 7 = 17
- Write the answer. 17
Check. Count all 17 counters one at a time. You get 17 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.20 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.0 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.20 + 0 = 20
- Write the answer. 20
Check. Count all 20 counters one at a time. You get 20 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Start with the tens. Then add the ones.
- Start with the tens. One ten is 10 counters.1 ten = 10
- Add the ones. Count the ones on after the tens.10 + 2 = 12
- Write the answer. 12
Check. 1 ten and 2 ones is 12. ✓
Watch out. Do not write the tens and the ones next to each other. Add them to make one number.
Method. Start with the tens. Then add the ones.
- Start with the tens. One ten is 10 counters.1 ten = 10
- Add the ones. Count the ones on after the tens.10 + 7 = 17
- Write the answer. 17
Check. 1 ten and 7 ones is 17. ✓
Watch out. Do not write the tens and the ones next to each other. Add them to make one number.
Method. Start with the tens. Then add the ones.
- Start with the tens. One ten is 10 counters.1 ten = 10
- Add the ones. Count the ones on after the tens.10 + 0 = 10
- Write the answer. 10
Check. 1 ten and 0 ones is 10. ✓
Watch out. Do not write the tens and the ones next to each other. Add them to make one number.
Method. Find the full ten first. What is left over is the ones.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters.10 counters
- Take the ten away from the counters. What is left over is the ones.15 − 10 = 5
- Write the number of ones. Count the counters that are not in the full ten.5
Check. Ten and 5 more make 15: 10 + 5 = 15. ✓
Watch out. Take away the full ten first, then count what is left.
Method. Count the full tens first. Then count the ones that are left.
- Count the tens. A ten is ten counters, or one full ten frame.1 ten = 10
- Count the ones. The ones are the counters that are left over.9 ones
- Write it with tens and ones. Say the tens first, then the ones.1 ten and 9 ones
Check. 10 + 9 = 19, so 19 is 1 ten and 9 ones. ✓
Watch out. Say the tens first, then the ones. One ten is 10, not 1.
Method. Count the full tens first. Then count the ones that are left.
- Count the tens. A ten is ten counters, or one full ten frame.1 ten = 10
- Count the ones. The ones are the counters that are left over.4 ones
- Write it with tens and ones. Say the tens first, then the ones.1 ten and 4 ones
Check. 10 + 4 = 14, so 14 is 1 ten and 4 ones. ✓
Watch out. Say the tens first, then the ones. One ten is 10, not 1.
Method. Count on from 18 until you reach 20. Count how many steps you took.
- Start with 18 counters. These counters are already on the ten frames.18 counters
- Add counters until there are 20. Fill the empty spaces on the ten frames.18 + 2 = 20
- Write how many more. The number you added is the answer.2
Check. 18 + 2 = 20. ✓
Watch out. Look for the empty spaces on the ten frames. Count only those.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.7 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 7 = 17
- Write the answer. 17
Check. Count all 17 counters one at a time. You get 17 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.
Method. Check how many tens and how many ones are in 15, then compare with what Sam said.
- Look at the number 15. Ten and some more make 15.15 = 10 + 5
- Count the tens and ones. One full ten and 5 ones make 15.1 ten and 5 ones
- Compare with Sam. Sam said 5 tens. That would be 50, not 15.5 tens is not 15
Check. 10 + 5 = 15, so 15 is 1 ten and 5 ones. ✓
Watch out. The 1 in 15 means one ten. It does not mean five tens.
Method. Count the full ten first, then count the ones that are left over.
- Find the full ten frame. A full ten frame has 10 counters. Start with ten, not with one.10 counters in the full tens
- Count the ones left over. These are the counters outside the full ten.6 ones
- Add them together. Ten and some more make a teen number.10 + 6 = 16
- Write the answer. 16
Check. Count all 16 counters one at a time. You get 16 again. ✓
Watch out. Start with ten, not with one. Then count on the ones.