Maths help for parents of children aged 5 to 11
Writing down one or ten more/less than a number might seem quite easy but when it means crossing a hundreds or thousands boundary it is not quite as simple as it appears. For example: ten less than 5804.
This maths worksheet on more than and less than should show whether place value has been fully understood or whether more practice needs to be done with counting on and back crossing hundreds and thousands.
It is a good idea to say the numbers out loud when carrying out this exercise.
If the units are 5 or more, round up to the next whole ten.
Rounding to the nearest ten is a simple process but can cause confusion. The key digit to look at is the units digit. The rule is:
If the units are 5 or more, round up to the next whole ten.
If the units are less than 5, round down to the next whole ten below.
Of course, if the units are zero then there is no need to round. (Some children think they have to go down ten more!)
So, 56 to the nearest whole ten is 60
55 to the nearest whole ten is 60
53 to the nearest 10 is 50
Knowing what each digit in a number represents can be a real challenge for children. Many do not understand that the digit 4 in 3400 has a different value to the digit 4 in 340. That is why understanding place value is so important once children begin to use larger numbers.
Here is a worksheet which should demonstrate whether place value has been understood. It asks what number needs to go into each box to make the number sentence correct. It shows that, for example:
2345 is made up of 2000 + 300 + 40 + 5
I have not added much in the way of work on fractions so far, but it is an area of maths that causes a lot of confusion. This page looks at tenths including some key concepts:
a. that ten tenths is the same as one whole one
b. that a half is the same as five tenths
c. recognising 1/10 as one tenth and that it means one whole one divided into 10 equal parts.
Maths worksheet from mathsblog.co.uk in association with MathSphere.co.uk
Adding or subtracting 100 from a number is usually straightforward, but can prove tricky if the number crosses the thousand mark. Normally this would be done mentally, without resorting to written methods.
For example 100 less than 3 456 is 3 356: only the hundreds digit needs to change.
More tricky is 100 less than 3095, which is 2905, involving both the hundreds digit and the thousands digit to change. Getting this type of question correct shows a good understanding of place value.
Free year 4 maths worksheet from mathsblog.co.uk and mathsphere.co.uk
By the end of year 4 children are expected to have strategies for answering a wide variety of questions mentally – in their heads. One expectation is to be able to subtract a single digit from a multiple of one hundred: eg 400 – 6 =.
Children usually approach this task in one of two ways: either by counting down using fingers, which can prove to be tricky remembering where you have got to; or by taking the single digit from 10 and mentally adjusting: 10 – 6 = 4, take 10 from 400 = 390, so the answer is 394.
As well as having questions to answer, this worksheet also asks brief for explanations, which children often find difficult to state, even if they can work out the answer.
In order for children to be really confident with handling numbers it is very important that they have a great deal of practice in counting forwards and backwards.
To re-inforce place value counting on and back in ones, tens, hundreds and thousands is especially worthwhile.
This might appear to be easay, but problems do arrive when crossing the next hundred or thousand. A number line or grid is very useful in helping with this.
Free maths worksheets from mathsblog.co.uk
Counting in tens might seem easy, especially by year 4.
However, there are many children who do find difficulties, especially when crossing the hundreds and thousands boundaries. One such difficulty might show itself if asked to write down ten more than 1097, which is 1107 or ten more than 2896 which is 2906.
Even harder might be ten less than 4006, which is 3996.
Don’t take it for granted that your children can do this as a really good understanding of place value is needed.
Free maths worksheet from mathsblog.co.uk
It has been a while since I posted anything for year 4 so here is a maths worksheet on addition. It is good revision of the terms: ‘What is the sum of…’, ‘What is the total of…’, ‘How many altogether?’ and ‘increase….by…’.
These terms should all be familiar to children in year 4 and they should be able to carry them out in their heads.
When adding three numbers in your head it is a good idea to start by adding all three tens and then adding on the units eg
25 + 36+ 51.
Add the 20, 30 and 50 to make 100.
Then add 5 to make 105, then 6 to make 111 and finally 1 to make 102.
Note this is by all means not the only way to do it!
Well, the metric system has been with us for a long time but there are still many children who use Imperial units when talking, often not knowing very much about them. Schools teach the metric system: society seems to want to keep the old fashioned system and it is our children who suffer.
Metric is far easier and this worksheet reminds children of the main units:
1 km = 1000 m
1 m = 100 cm
1 cm = 10 mm
1 kg = 1000 g
1 litre = 1000 ml
It is also worth reminding ourselves that a litre of water has a mass (weighs) one kilo and fits exactly into a 10 cm cube!
Rant over – try the worksheet.