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Grade 1 · Maths · Lessons
Three at once
➕add🔟make ten🚗cars🧮pairs
Add three numbers.
The big ideaFind a pair to add first, like two that make ten. Order does not matter.

How it works

To add three numbers, find a pair to add first.

Look for two that make ten, or a double.

The order doesn't matter, so add in any order.

Find a pair: 5 + 5 =10Then add the rest: 10+ 6Total: 16
6 + 5 + 5.

Example 1: Pair up the fives

  1. 6 + 5 + 5 = ?
  2. 5 + 5 = 10. Then 10 + 6 = 16.
  3. So the answer is 16.

Example 2: Make ten first

  1. 5 + 1 + 9 = ?
  2. 1 + 9 = 10. Then 10 + 5 = 15.
  3. So the answer is 15.

Example 3: A story with three

  1. Sam has 2 red cars, 5 blue cars and 2 green cars.
  2. 2 + 2 = 4. Then 4 + 5 = 9.
  3. So Sam has 9 cars.

Words to know

add
To put numbers together.
make ten
Find two numbers that add to 10.

Watch out

Try it

  1. 3 + 7 + 4 = ?
  2. 2 + 8 + 5 = ?
  3. 4 + 4 + 3 = ?
  4. Does the order matter when you add?
Answers: 1. 14 · 2. 15 · 3. 11 · 4. no
For grown-upsRoll three dice and ask your child to look for a pair that makes ten before adding.
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