Addition Tips and Tricks

There are lots of "thinking tricks" you can use to make it easier to add numbers.

Use the ones that make sense to you!

Count From A Number Upwards

Example: 6 + 3

Think "6 ... 7, 8, 9"
Hint: start from the larger number
Example: 2 + 6
HARDStart from 2 and count 6:Think "2 ... 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8"
EASYStart from 6 and count 2:Think "6 ... 7, 8"

Jump Strategy

You can also count by 2s or 10s, or make any "jumps" you want to help you to solve a calculation.

Example: 4 + 12

Jump Strategy
Think "4 ... 14, 15, 16"

Adding Up To Ten

See if any of the numbers add up to 10. They don't have to be next to each other.

Example: 7 + 8 + 3 + 2 + 5

7+3 is 10,
8+2 is another 10, which makes 20,
Plus 5 is 25

Do The Tens Last

Break big numbers into Tens and Units, add the Units, then add on the Tens.
Example: 14+5
Break the "14" into Tens and Units: 10 + 4
Add the Units: 4 + 5 = 9
Now add the Tens: 10 + 9 = 19
Think "4 plus 5 is 9, plus 10 is 19"

Another Example: 14 + 12

Break into Tens and Units: 10 + 4 + 10 + 2
Add the Units: 4 + 2 = 6
Now add on the Tens: 6 + 10 + 10 = 26

Aim for Ten

If you can see that a number is close to ten, then break the other number up so you reach ten.

Example: 9 + 7

9 is only 1 away from 10

so take 1 from the 7: 9 + 1 + 6
and give it to the 9: 10 + 6 = 16
Think "9 plus 1 is 10 ... 7 less 1 is 6, together is 16"

Another Example: 8 + 5

8+2=10, so lets take 2 from the 5: 8 + 2 + 3
and give it to the 8: 10 + 3 = 13
You can even move backwards to ten, by making the other number bigger as needed:
Example 12 + 7 = 12 - 2 + 9 = 10 + 9 = 19

Double when the numbers are the same

Example 5 + 5 = 2 x 5 = 10

Double if the numbers are close, then fix

Example: 5 + 6 is nearly two 5s, but 6 is 1 bigger than 5, so:

5 + 6 = two 5s + 1 = 10 + 1 = 11

Example: 7 + 9 is like two 8s, but 7 is 1 smaller than 8, and 9 is 1 bigger than 8 ... hey! it is exactly two 8s because 1 smaller and 1 bigger cancel each other:
7 + 9 = "8 less 1" + "8 add 1" = two 8s = 16

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