The big ideaRead a frame by its rows, tens first. For a full row, look at the gap.
How it works
Counting every bead is too slow for a flash, so read the rows instead.
Look at the top row first, then the row below: say the tens, then the ones.
For a nearly full row, look at the gap: eight across leaves a gap of two.
A third row on top holds the hundreds. An empty row is a zero, but it still holds its place.
Nine across leaves a gap of one: 49.An empty middle row still counts: 205.
Example 1: Flash: 52
Read the top row: five beads, five tens.
Read the row below: two beads, two ones.
Five tens and two ones make 52.
Five tens and two ones: 52.
Example 2: A nearly full row: 49
The ones row has nine across.
Look at the gap: only one bead is left behind.
Ten take away one is nine, so there are nine ones.
Four tens and nine ones make 49.
Example 3: Three rows: 147
Top row: one bead, one hundred.
Middle row: four beads, four tens.
Bottom row: seven beads, seven ones.
The number is 147.
One hundred, four tens and seven ones: 147.
Example 4: An empty row: 205
Top row: two beads, two hundreds.
Middle row: nothing, so say zero tens.
Bottom row: five ones.
The number is 205, not 25.
Example 5: Reading gaps
Nine across leaves a gap of one: 10 − 9 = 1.
Eight across leaves a gap of two: 10 − 8 = 2.
Seven across leaves a gap of three: 10 − 7 = 3.
Words to know
flash
A quick look, so you must read by rows.
gap
The beads left behind in a row. Ten take away the beads across.
tens row
The row above the ones row.
zero
An empty row. It still holds its place.
Watch out
Do not count bead by bead.
Read the top row first.
A zero still counts. 205 is not 25.
The gap is the beads left behind, not the beads across.
Try it
A ones row has nine across. How many are in the gap?
Flash: seven tens and three ones. Which number?
Two hundreds, five tens and an empty ones row. Which number?
Three hundreds, no tens and six ones. Which number?
Answers: 1. One · 2. 73 · 3. 250 · 4. 306
Try at homeAsk a grown-up to set out buttons or coins in tens and ones, with a few loose ones beside. Cover them with a cloth, lift it for a blink and say how many, taking as long as you like. Then swap!
For grown-upsSet out buttons or coins in tens and a few loose ones, cover them with a cloth, lift it for a blink and ask how many. When the cloth is off, your child can take as long as they like. Swap turns.
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