Maths help for parents of children aged 5 to 11
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When children begin division they usually write the question with a remainder. However, remainders can be written as fractions, making a more accurate and complete division answer. This is usually introduced in year 4 and we have an excellent worksheet coming up next week on division with remainders written as fractions.
Another aspect of division is to use decimals rather than remainders and we will also be publishing a page on division by 10. The key to understanding division by 10 is also the key to understanding place value: that is, if a digit moves one place to the right it becomes ten times less. So all you have to do to divide a number by 10 is to move each digit one place to the right – but watch out to include the decimal point if necessary!
It’s getting towards colder weather now and a good time to introduce negative numbers. Children are most likely to come across negative numbers when using a calculator but they are usually taught about them in the context of measuring temperature. Number lines are also very helpful as they show that numbers continue after zero when counting down. We will be publishing a maths worksheet on negative numbers next week.
Whilst most sites have loads of number worksheets you will find few which includes maths across all areas, including symmetry. Why? because they usually take longer to write!
Mirror line, line of symmetry, line symmetry, symmetrical, reflect, reflection, translation, axis of symmetry, reflective symmetry are all terms that children should know by the end of the primary stage.
Also they should be able to test for symmetry using a mirror and by folding.
Children should be able to sketch the reflection of a simple shape in a mirror line where none or only some of the edges of the shape are parallel or perpendicular to the mirror line.
This might seem easy, but actually prove problematic to many children. A small mirror is a great help with this and children are supplied with one in their SAT tests if such a question comes up – and they do seem to be very popular.
Next week we have a little twist on the usual adding three numbers type of worksheet. On this page the third number is missing but the answer is given. What makes this harder is that at least two mental calculations have to be made to reach a correct answer. Quite a challenge for Year 2 children!
We also have a page showing the standard written method of addition.The method is to add the units first, put the units in the answer, and ‘carry’ the ten into the tens column. Finally add the tens and write in the total on the answer line.Plenty of practice with easy numbers.
Also coming soon is a great page for Year 5 on relating fractions and division. This fraction worksheet is a follow up to the page published last week, as children need plenty of practice with these ideas.
Investigations are a great way to reinforce mathematical concepts and learn about patterns in maths. This maths worksheet is posted in our Year 2 section, under Using and Applying Maths and has proved to be one of our most used resources.
We have the digits from one to nine again, this time the task is to use three digits to make 12. This is much harder than just using two digits and it would be a good idea to have some cards printed out with the digits on to help with this. They are available in the reception maths worksheets section.
Again plenty of opportunity for talking about the numbers and what counts as a different way. Is 1 + 2 + 9 the same as 2 + 1 + 9 ?
Next week we solve one of the mysteries of fractions with a foxy worksheet which looks at how to read and write fractions from halves to tenths using numbers or words.
We also have a cunning page on division for year 4. This has a range of different ways of asking division questions which children need to be able to recognise and there are a number of methods that can be used to work out the answers mentally.
Continuing on the division and fraction theme we have a Year 5 worksheet which relates them both. It can be a great help to see a fraction as a division calculation. For example 1/6 can also be thought of as one divided by six or one whole one cut into six equal pieces.
We have a good selection of maths worksheets covering the standard written method of addition. We begin this with using just 2-digit numbers, although it should be pointed out that usually 2-digit addition should be tackled ‘in your head’.
The standard method is to add the units first, put the units in the answer, and ‘carry’ the ten into the tens column. Then add the tens. detailed examples and plenty of preactice can be found in our Four Rules section under written addition.
Children should not start formal education (that’s sitting down to read, write do maths etc) until they are at least six. So says the devastating attack on our schooling by the largest study of Primary Education for 40 years.
The Cambridge Primary Review, led by Professor Robin Alexander recommends putting us in line with the rest of Europe by continuing with the play based learning which now goes on in Nurseries and Reception classes for at least another year.
They argue that many children are introduced to formal reading and writing before they are ready and are ‘turned off’ by a lack of success.
There is certainly a great deal to be said for this approach, as our European counterparts, including Wales, seem to be much more successful with educating their children. Many four and five year olds have not developed sufficiently to be taught to read and write at 5. They immediately start to fail, this leads to disenchantment and a negative attitude to the next 10 years of school life. It really is a waste of time and effort trying to teach children before they have matured sufficiently to understand the concepts involved.
The survey also calls for the abandonment of the SATs, claiming they are too narrow and not fit for purpose. Unfortunately, the Government do not appear to be listening.
Understanding equivalence in fractions is probably the key which opens the door to understanding the whole world of fractions. One of the first things to remember about equivalence is that the larger the number on the bottom of the fraction, the smaller each part of the fraction is. So 4/100 is much smaller than 4/25. Also it is much easier to compare the size of two fractions if the bottom numbers are the same. Next week we look further at these ideas with a year 4 equivalent fractions worksheet.
By year 5 solving division problems ‘in your head’ get quite tricky and a very good understanding of the relationship between multiplication and division is needed. We also will be publishing a page with questions involving sharing with remainders, which need both working out ‘tables’ and calculating the number left over.
Also coming up soon is a further look at number squares for Year 2 children and is excellent practice at understanding place value as well as counting. A small section of the whole number square, just 4 by 3 is taken and most of the numbers removed. The skill is in replacing the missing numbers.
A lot of work is done on triangles in Primary Schools and by year 5 and 6 most children are familiar with the properties of right angled triangles, equilateral triangles and isosceles trinagles. However, fewer children know about the scalene triangle. A scalene triangle is one which has no sides the same length and no equal angles. Right angled triangles could also be scalene if all the sides are different lengths.
Thanks to MathSphere Ltd for this worksheet: and there are many more similar pages, both on their site and part of the ‘It’s All Figured Out’ CD.