Month: May 2012

Counting on in steps of 10p

This page looks at the way money and coins can be used with helping to count on in tens. The questions become progressively more difficult and this would be most suitable for year 3 children as well as year 2 children who are confident with counting in tens.

The first three questions look at adding 10p to a multiple of 10p and should be very straightforward. The second set look at adding 10p to any 2-digit number, which again should not prove too tricky.

The third set are more tricky as they require adding 10p to money represented in pounds,using the decimal point. Watch out for children who add a ‘p’ at the end so that both the pound and pence sign are showing. This, of course, is not necessary and is strictly incorr3ct – just the pound sign is sufficient.

The last set of questions looks at counting on in steps of 10p, but at this stage the counting does not go over the next 100 or next pound. This will be the next step.

Counting on in steps of 10p (1)

Resource of the Week: subtraction across the thousands boundary

find-a-difference-by-counting-up-pg-1

This Year 4 maths worksheet can reveal a great deal about how children deal with numbers. It looks at finding differences crossing the thousands boundary.

Let’s look at 3005 – 8 which is easier to do mentally than on paper.

There are several ways that this can be done.

1. Count down, one at a time, 8 from 3005, saying each number as you go. Fingers may be held up on each count down until 8 is reached.

3004, (1), 3003 (2), 3002 (3), 3001 (4), 3000 (5), 2999 (6), 2998 (7), 2997 (8)

2. A different way is to take the 8 from 3000,  then add 5.

3000 – 8 = 2992

2992 + 5 = 2997

3. A third way is to take 5 off the 8 leaving 3.

Then take 3 off 3000 = 2997

It is well worth talking to children about how they do this kind of question and what strategies they employ. Much will depend on their knowledge of number.

If this question ia attempted using the standard written method for subtraction there are many children who will get confused with the adjustments that have to be made (crossing out tens and borrowing etc).

Find a difference by counting up (pg 1)