Step-by-step Maths Level 1 Number stories within 20: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Amira starts with 13.
   13
2. Decide what happens. More are added to the start.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   add

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Noah starts with 16.
   16
2. Decide what happens. Some go, so the number gets smaller.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   take away

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Priya starts with 4.
   4
2. Decide what happens. More are added to the start.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   add

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   9
2. Count on 4 more. We add 4 to 9.
   9 + 4
3. Write the answer.
   13

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 13 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   8
2. Count on 2 more. We add 2 to 8.
   8 + 2
3. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 10 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   11
2. Count on 6 more. We add 6 to 11.
   11 + 6
3. Write the answer.
   17

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 17 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Take away the second number from the first. Count back to check.

1. Start with the first number. It is the number of things we begin with.
   13
2. Take away 4. Cross out or count back this many.
   13 - 4
3. Write the answer. This is how many are left.
   9

Check. Add back: 9 + 4 = 13. The answer is right.

Watch out. Count back from the first number, not up from the second.

Method. Take away the second number from the first. Count back to check.

1. Start with the first number. It is the number of things we begin with.
   18
2. Take away 2. Cross out or count back this many.
   18 - 2
3. Write the answer. This is how many are left.
   16

Check. Add back: 16 + 2 = 18. The answer is right.

Watch out. Count back from the first number, not up from the second.

Method. Use add for more. Write the start, the sign, the number added and the answer.

1. Write the start. Amira starts with 12.
   12
2. Write the sign. More means add, so use a plus sign.
   12 +
3. Write the rest and the answer. 6 more are found.
   12 + 6 = 18
4. Check.
   12 + 6 = 18

Check. Check with a subtraction: 18 − 6 = 12. ✓

Watch out. Write the sign, then the total after the equals sign.

Method. Use take away for fewer. Write the start, the sign, the number taken away and the answer.

1. Write the start. There are 18 bees.
   18
2. Write the sign. Fly away means take away, so use a minus sign.
   18 −
3. Write the rest and the answer. 9 fly away.
   18 − 9 = 9
4. Check.
   18 − 9 = 9

Check. Check with addition: 9 + 9 = 18. ✓

Watch out. The minus sign is for taking away. The equals sign shows the answer.

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Amira starts with 12.
   12
2. Decide what happens. More are added to the start.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   add

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Noah starts with 7.
   7
2. Decide what happens. Some go, so the number gets smaller.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   take away

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Read the story. Does the number get bigger or smaller?

1. Find the start. Priya starts with 6.
   6
2. Decide what happens. More are added to the start.
   the story changes the number
3. Write the word.
   add

Check. Check: the story has a number that changes. Read it again to be sure.

Watch out. More or gets means add. Some go or lose means take away.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   14
2. Count on 4 more. We add 4 to 14.
   14 + 4
3. Write the answer.
   18

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 18 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   12
2. Count on 2 more. We add 2 to 12.
   12 + 2
3. Write the answer.
   14

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 14 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Put the two groups together. Start at the bigger number and count on.

1. Start at the bigger number. It is quicker to count on from the bigger one.
   11
2. Count on 2 more. We add 2 to 11.
   11 + 2
3. Write the answer.
   13

Check. Count on from the other number too. You get 13 both ways.

Watch out. Count on, do not start again from one.

Method. Take away the second number from the first. Count back to check.

1. Start with the first number. It is the number of things we begin with.
   20
2. Take away 5. Cross out or count back this many.
   20 - 5
3. Write the answer. This is how many are left.
   15

Check. Add back: 15 + 5 = 20. The answer is right.

Watch out. Count back from the first number, not up from the second.

Method. Take away the second number from the first. Count back to check.

1. Start with the first number. It is the number of things we begin with.
   18
2. Take away 8. Cross out or count back this many.
   18 - 8
3. Write the answer. This is how many are left.
   10

Check. Add back: 10 + 8 = 18. The answer is right.

Watch out. Count back from the first number, not up from the second.

Method. Use add for more. Write the start, the sign, the number added and the answer.

1. Write the start. Amira starts with 9.
   9
2. Write the sign. More means add, so use a plus sign.
   9 +
3. Write the rest and the answer. 9 more are found.
   9 + 9 = 18
4. Check.
   9 + 9 = 18

Check. Check with a subtraction: 18 − 9 = 9. ✓

Watch out. Write the sign, then the total after the equals sign.

Method. Use take away for fewer. Write the start, the sign, the number taken away and the answer.

1. Write the start. There are 19 bees.
   19
2. Write the sign. Fly away means take away, so use a minus sign.
   19 −
3. Write the rest and the answer. 12 fly away.
   19 − 12 = 7
4. Check.
   19 − 12 = 7

Check. Check with addition: 7 + 12 = 19. ✓

Watch out. The minus sign is for taking away. The equals sign shows the answer.