Year 1: How much longer or shorter?
Part of the Year 1 length and height chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
How much longer or shorter?
How much longer is one ribbon than another? Line the two ribbons up at the start. The extra units at the end of the longer one show how much longer it is.
You can also count the units in each ribbon. Then take the smaller number away from the bigger number. The answer tells you how much longer.
Key ideas
- Line up the start of each one.
- The extra part at the end shows how much longer.
- Count the extra, or take the smaller number away from the bigger number.
- Use longer for the one that reaches further.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure A. Count or read its length.A: 9 cubes
- Measure B. Count or read its length.B: 4 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.9 − 4 = 5
- Write the answer. 5 cubes
Check. Check: 4 + 5 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure D. Count or read its length.D: 8 paper clips
- Measure C. Count or read its length.C: 2 paper clips
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.8 − 2 = 6
- Write the answer. 6 paper clips
Check. Check: 2 + 6 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Method. If both are the same length, neither one is longer. The difference is zero.
- Measure E. Count or read its length.E: 6 cubes
- Measure F. Count or read its length.F: 6 cubes
- Compare them. They are equal, so there is no extra part.6 − 6 = 0
- Write the answer. 0. They are the same length.
Check. Line them up: every unit has a partner, and nothing is left over. ✓
Watch out. When the lengths are the same, there is no extra part.
Watch out
Watch out: count only the extra part at the end of the longer one. Do not count the part that both ribbons share.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Lay two pencils side by side, starting at the same place. Ask: “How many extra pencils do we need to make the short one as long?” Let your child count the extra with a finger.
Exercise 7D How much longer?
Non-calculatorKey words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure A. Count or read its length.A: 7 cubes
- Measure B. Count or read its length.B: 3 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.7 − 3 = 4
- Write the answer. 4 cubes
Check. Check: 3 + 4 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure A. Count or read its length.A: 6 cubes
- Measure B. Count or read its length.B: 4 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.6 − 4 = 2
- Write the answer. 2 cubes
Check. Check: 4 + 2 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure D. Count or read its length.D: 9 paper clips
- Measure C. Count or read its length.C: 6 paper clips
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.9 − 6 = 3
- Write the answer. 3 paper clips
Check. Check: 6 + 3 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure F. Count or read its length.F: 8 hand spans
- Measure E. Count or read its length.E: 3 hand spans
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.8 − 3 = 5
- Write the answer. 5 hand spans
Check. Check: 3 + 5 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure G. Count or read its length.G: 10 cubes
- Measure H. Count or read its length.H: 7 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.10 − 7 = 3
- Write the answer. 3 cubes
Check. Check: 7 + 3 = 10. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Method. Start with the whole. Take away the part that is cut off.
- Start with 9 cubes. This is the whole rope before the cut.9
- Take away 4. Count back 4 from 9.9 − 4 = 5
- Write the answer. The rope is now shorter.5 cubes
Check. Put the cut part back on: 5 + 4 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Take away the cut part. Check you did not take away the part that is left.
Key words. How much taller means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the taller one.
- Measure Chloe. Count or read its length.Chloe: 7 cubes
- Measure Tom. Count or read its length.Tom: 2 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.7 − 2 = 5
- Write the answer. 5 cubes
Check. Check: 2 + 5 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the taller one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure Rope 1. Count or read its length.Rope 1: 8 cubes
- Measure Rope 2. Count or read its length.Rope 2: 3 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.8 − 3 = 5
- Write the answer. 5 cubes
Check. Check: 3 + 5 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure Rope 1. Count or read its length.Rope 1: 7 cubes
- Measure Rope 2. Count or read its length.Rope 2: 4 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.7 − 4 = 3
- Write the answer. 3 cubes
Check. Check: 4 + 3 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Key words. How much longer means the extra amount that one has.
Method. Line them up at the start. Count the extra part on the longer one.
- Measure Rope 1. Count or read its length.Rope 1: 10 cubes
- Measure Rope 2. Count or read its length.Rope 2: 6 cubes
- Find the extra part. Take the smaller number away from the bigger number.10 − 6 = 4
- Write the answer. 4 cubes
Check. Check: 6 + 4 = 10. ✓
Watch out. Count only the extra part at the end of the longer one, not the whole of it.
Method. Start with the whole. Take away the part that is cut off.
- Start with 7 cubes. This is the whole rope before the cut.7
- Take away 2. Count back 2 from 7.7 − 2 = 5
- Write the answer. The rope is now shorter.5 cubes
Check. Put the cut part back on: 5 + 2 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Take away the cut part. Check you did not take away the part that is left.
Method. Think about lining the two things up at the start.
- Line up the starts. Put the two things side by side, starting at the same place.Both start together
- Find the extra part. The extra units at the end of the longer one are the difference.Count only the extra units
- Write the answer. Count the extra units. Do not count the whole longer thing.Count the extra units at the end.
Check. Take the smaller number from the bigger one, and check the answer. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the whole longer thing. Count only the extra part.
Method. Work out each ribbon, one at a time, then compare.
- Find ribbon B. Ribbon B is 4 shorter than ribbon A.10 − 4 = 6
- Find ribbon C. Ribbon C is 3 longer than ribbon B.6 + 3 = 9
- Compare the three. The biggest number is the longest ribbon.A: 10, B: 6, C: 9
- Write the answer. A is the longest.
Check. Check: 6 + 4 = 10, and 9 is 3 more than 6. ✓
Watch out. Work out each one in order. Each ribbon depends on the one before it.