Maths help for parents of children aged 5 to 11
Maths puzzles: Word search numbers to ten
As it is half term week for most children in the UK we can have a break from the serious stuff and give you some maths puzzles and word searches to do with maths. This one is just for the numbers from zero to ten. Good practice at recognising and spelling these essential words.
To make it simpler the numbers can be found going across or down, but not backwards or in a diagonal.
Free Y6 maths worksheets: Revise doubling and halving
Doubling and halving can be a very effective way of working out quite difficult number problems in your head. These two free maths worksheets look at this skill.
Some examples:
To multiply a number by 15, multiply by 10 and add on half the answer.
36 x 15 = 360 + 180 = 540
When multiplying a number ending in 5 we can double this number and halve the other number before multiplying.
Free Y6 maths worksheets: Revise doubling and halving (pg 3)
Free Y6 maths worksheets: Revise doubling and halving (pg 4)
Free Y5 maths worksheets: Find the difference
Finding the difference between two numbers either side of a whole thousand is the focus of these two maths worksheets. But, even those these look hard they do not need to be done using written methods. Remember all that counting on we have been doing in earlier years; it comes into its own now.
For example: finding the difference between 6002 and 5899.
Start with the 5899
Count on 1 to make 5900
Count on 100 to make 6000
Count on 2 to make 6002.
The difference is 1 + 100 + 2 = 103
Free Y4 maths worksheets: Complete number sentences
Two maths worksheets dealing with addition and subtraction of a single digit to a 3-digit number. Unlike traditional sums different parts of the number sentence are missing.
For example: one question is 584 + ? = 593.
This can be done in several ways, counting on 6 from 584 to 590 and then another 3 to 593 probably being the most effective.
The last 5 questions on both sheets ask for a quick explanation of the method used. Make sure that this is done as it can reveal a great deal about the way your child is thinking about numbers.
Maths game: Counting on in ones
Help Teddy to get an ice cream by counting on in ones. A nice little maths game for early years children who are just beginning to be able to count on with small numbers, starting from different places up to 10.
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Free Y3 maths worksheets: Finding pairs to make 19 and 20
The second of these pages should probably be covered first; that is finding a pair of numbers that make 20. These types of question should follow on once children are confident and knowledgeable about finding pairs that make 10. These should be known. Progressing to finding pairs to make 20 should then be relatively simple.
If it is known that 4 + 6 make 10 then it is easy to work out what needs to be added to 14 to make 20.
Working out pairs that make 19 will often be done by ‘adding on’. For example;
What needs to be added to 7 to make 19?
Add 10 to 7 to make 17, then add two more by counting on to 19.
it can also be done by adding 2 to 7 to make 9 and then adding 10.
Don’t forget to ask your child what approach they took to reach the answer as both are equally valid.
Free Y2 maths worksheets: Doubles
Two kinds of question here. Firstly doubling whole tens, which should prove straightforward as long as doubling single digits is well established: if double 6 is known to be 12 then doubling 60 to get 120 can be derived quickly.
Secondly, and perhaps much harder, is doubling numbers in the teens. It is unlikely that these will be known, but it is important to establish quick methods of working them out.
Usually this will mean doing three things mentally and once children have to do more than one thing to get the answer then difficulties will arise.
Take doubling 17.
Stage 1: double 7 (which is known) 14
Stage 2: double the tens (which is known) 20
Stage 3: add the two 14 + 20 = 34.
A couple of free worksheets providing opportunities for adding small numbers together. Notice with these that there is no help in the form of a number line or things to count. These pages are aimed at showing whether young children are beginning to know the basic number bonds – similar pages can easily be written and also provide an opportunity for a little ‘colouring in’. Keep the numbers low – just up to 5 and totals up to 10.
Free Y6 maths worksheets: Large numbers
A couple of free maths worksheets for older children in primary school. They will need to have a good idea of time, a calculator handy and a pretty good mathematical brain to answer these questions. There is usually more than one way to tackle problems such as these and it is worthwhile discussing with your child why they are taking a particular approach.
Take the question “Is 100 000 seconds more than a day?”
Most people would not know this off-hand but it can be worked out easily.
Divide by 100 000 by 60 to get the number of minutes. (You may get recurring decimals.)
Divide the answer by 60 to get the number of hours.
Or:
take 24 hours and multiply by 60 to get the number of miutes then multiply by 60 again to get the number of seconds a nd compare. Much easier to do this with a calculator – it is the ptoblem which involves the maths rather than slogging through multiplication and division on paper – so use a calculator!
Maths game: 2, 5 and 10 x tables
Feeling confident about 2x, 5x and 10x tables? Why not have a go at this cross number? Just drag the numbers across to the correct squares. Easy peasy if you know your tables!
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