Year 1: Making equal groups
Part of the Year 1 grouping and sharing chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Making equal groups
Equal groups have the same number of things in each group. Here are three groups. Each group has 4 biscuits. The groups are equal.
When we make groups, we put things into groups with the same number in each. Then we count how many groups there are.
Key ideas
- Equal groups have the same number of things in each group.
- Count how many things are in one group.
- Count how many groups there are.
- Groups can look the same but have different numbers. Count each group.
Method. Equal groups have the same number of things in each group.
- Count the things in each group. Touch each thing once.group 1 has 3, group 2 has 3, group 3 has 3
- Compare the numbers. The groups are equal only if every number is the same.All the same
- Write the answer. Yes. The groups are equal.
Check. Count the things in each group again. ✓
Watch out. Groups can look the same size on the page. Always count each group.
Method. Equal groups have the same number of things in each group.
- Count the things in each group. Touch each thing once.group 1 has 2, group 2 has 4, group 3 has 2
- Compare the numbers. The groups are equal only if every number is the same.Not all the same
- Write the answer. No. The groups are not equal.
Check. Count the things in each group again. ✓
Watch out. Groups can look the same size on the page. Always count each group.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 2 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 2 apples. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 2
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 6 in all, so count the groups as you make them.2 + 2 + 2 = 6
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.3 groups
Check. Each group has 2, and 3 groups make 6. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the apples. There are 3 groups.
Watch out
Watch out: groups can look the same size but have a different number of things. Always count each group.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Lay out buttons or pasta shapes in egg boxes or cups. Ask: “Are all the cups the same? How many are in each cup?”
Exercise 9B Equal groups
Non-calculatorMethod. Equal groups have the same number of things in each group.
- Count the things in each group. Touch each thing once.group 1 has 2, group 2 has 2, group 3 has 2, group 4 has 2
- Compare the numbers. The groups are equal only if every number is the same.All the same
- Write the answer. Yes. The groups are equal.
Check. Count the things in each group again. ✓
Watch out. Groups can look the same size on the page. Always count each group.
Method. Equal groups have the same number of things in each group.
- Count the things in each group. Touch each thing once.group 1 has 3, group 2 has 4, group 3 has 3
- Compare the numbers. The groups are equal only if every number is the same.Not all the same
- Write the answer. No. The groups are not equal.
Check. Count the things in each group again. ✓
Watch out. Groups can look the same size on the page. Always count each group.
Method. Count the things in one group. Every group is the same, so one group tells us about all of them.
- Look at one group. Count the things in it.One group has 4
- Check the other groups. Each group has the same number.All 3 groups have 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Count one group again: 1, 2, 3, 4. ✓
Watch out. Check that every group is the same before you use one of them.
Method. Count the groups. Each one is counted once.
- Count the groups. Touch each one once.1, 2, 3, 4
- Look at the last number you said. That is how many groups there are.The last number is 4.
- Write the answer. 4 groups
Check. Count the groups from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the things inside them.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 2 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 2 cubes. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 2
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 8 in all, so count the groups as you make them.2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.4 groups
Check. Each group has 2, and 4 groups make 8. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the cubes. There are 4 groups.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 3 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 3 balls. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 3
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 9 in all, so count the groups as you make them.3 + 3 + 3 = 9
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.3 groups
Check. Each group has 3, and 3 groups make 9. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the balls. There are 3 groups.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 5 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 5 stars. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 5
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 10 in all, so count the groups as you make them.5 + 5 = 10
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.2 groups
Check. Each group has 5, and 2 groups make 10. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the stars. There are 2 groups.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 4 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 4 biscuits. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 4
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 12 in all, so count the groups as you make them.4 + 4 + 4 = 12
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.3 groups
Check. Each group has 4, and 3 groups make 12. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the biscuits. There are 3 groups.
Key words. A group is a set of things that belong together.
Method. Put 2 in each group, and keep going until none are left. Then count the groups.
- Make a group with 2 apples. Each group must have the same number.1 group of 2
- Keep making groups until none are left. There are 10 in all, so count the groups as you make them.2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10
- Count the groups. Each group is one group.5 groups
Check. Each group has 2, and 5 groups make 10. ✓
Watch out. Count the groups, not the apples. There are 5 groups.
Method. Make as many groups of 2 as you can. Then check if any stars are left over.
- Make groups of 2. Put 2 stars in each group.4 groups of 2 use 8 stars
- Count the stars left over. Stars that are not in a group are left over.9 − 8 = 1
- Write the answer. A star left over means the groups are not equal.No. 1 star is left over.
Check. Count the groups: 4 groups with 2 in each, and 1 star on its own. ✓
Watch out. Count the things left over. If there are any, the groups cannot all be the same.