Step-by-step Maths Level 2: Adding zero
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 2 adding within 20 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Adding zero
Zero means none. When you add zero, you add nothing.
So the number stays the same, whether zero is first or second in the sum.
Key ideas
- Adding zero does not change a number.
- 9 + 0 = 9 and 0 + 9 = 9.
- Zero can go first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.9
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.9 + 0 = 9
- Write the answer. The number does not change.9
Check. Take zero away from 9: it is still 9.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.14
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.0 + 14 = 14
- Write the answer. The number does not change.14
Check. Take zero away from 14: it is still 14.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.17
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.17 + 0 = 17
- Write the answer. The number does not change.17
Check. Take zero away from 17: it is still 17.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Watch out
Watch out. Some children think adding zero makes the number zero. It does not.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “If we have 6 sweets and get none more, how many do we have?”
Exercise 5D Practice: adding zero
Non-calculatorMethod. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.7
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.7 + 0 = 7
- Write the answer. The number does not change.7
Check. Take zero away from 7: it is still 7.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.18
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.18 + 0 = 18
- Write the answer. The number does not change.18
Check. Take zero away from 18: it is still 18.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.6
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.6 + 0 = 6
- Write the answer. The number does not change.6
Check. Take zero away from 6: it is still 6.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.11
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.11 + 0 = 11
- Write the answer. The number does not change.11
Check. Take zero away from 11: it is still 11.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.13
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.13 + 0 = 13
- Write the answer. The number does not change.13
Check. Take zero away from 13: it is still 13.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.15
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.15 + 0 = 15
- Write the answer. The number does not change.15
Check. Take zero away from 15: it is still 15.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.4
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.0 + 4 = 4
- Write the answer. The number does not change.4
Check. Take zero away from 4: it is still 4.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.2
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.2 + 0 = 2
- Write the answer. The number does not change.2
Check. Take zero away from 2: it is still 2.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.6
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.0 + 6 = 6
- Write the answer. The number does not change.6
Check. Take zero away from 6: it is still 6.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.19
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.19 + 0 = 19
- Write the answer. The number does not change.19
Check. Take zero away from 19: it is still 19.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.20
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.0 + 20 = 20
- Write the answer. The number does not change.20
Check. Take zero away from 20: it is still 20.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.4
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.4 + 0 = 4
- Write the answer. The number does not change.4
Check. Take zero away from 4: it is still 4.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.17
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.17 + 0 = 17
- Write the answer. The number does not change.17
Check. Take zero away from 17: it is still 17.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.20
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.20 + 0 = 20
- Write the answer. The number does not change.20
Check. Take zero away from 20: it is still 20.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.13
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.0 + 13 = 13
- Write the answer. The number does not change.13
Check. Take zero away from 13: it is still 13.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.
Method. Adding zero means we add nothing. The number stays the same.
- Look at the number. It is the number we start with.1
- Add zero. Zero adds no more things.1 + 0 = 1
- Write the answer. The number does not change.1
Check. Take zero away from 1: it is still 1.
Watch out. Adding zero never changes a number, whether zero is first or second.