Addition and subtraction strategies (age 7+)

Mastery Evidence

Explain why adding tens and ones separately gives the correct total
Describe why a compensation strategy works (e.g. 'I added 1 too many, so I subtract 1')
Use place-value language to justify a written method step by step

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] works out '67 + 24' by splitting it into '60 + 20' and '7 + 4', can they explain to you in words *why* that approach gives the right answer?”

Curriculum Standards1 alignment

2.NBT.9Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

Explain addition and subtraction strategies

Explain why addition and subtraction strategies work, using place value and the properties of operations.

Number and Operations in Base Ten

Prerequisites2

The three digits of a three-digit number
hardAges 7—8
Fluent adding and subtracting within 100
hardAges 7—8

Show full prerequisite tree

The three digits of a three-digit number hard
Explanations require place-value language and understanding
- A Hundred Is Ten Tens hard
  Three-digit place value requires understanding 100 as a unit
  - A Ten Is Ten Ones hard
    100 as ten tens extends understanding of 10 as ten ones
    - The teen numbers hard
      Understanding 10 as a bundle builds on understanding teen numbers as 'a ten and some ones'
      - How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
  - The two digits of a two-digit number hard
    Must understand two-digit place value before extending to hundreds
    - A Ten Is Ten Ones hard
      Understanding tens and ones place value requires the concept of 10 as a bundle
      - The teen numbers hard
        Understanding 10 as a bundle builds on understanding teen numbers as 'a ten and some ones'
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
    - The teen numbers hard
      General two-digit place value extends from understanding teen number composition
      - How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
- The two digits of a two-digit number hard
  Three-digit PV extends two-digit PV (tens and ones)
  - A Ten Is Ten Ones hard
    Understanding tens and ones place value requires the concept of 10 as a bundle
    - The teen numbers hard
      Understanding 10 as a bundle builds on understanding teen numbers as 'a ten and some ones'
      - How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
  - The teen numbers hard
    General two-digit place value extends from understanding teen number composition
    - How Many in Total? hard
      Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
      - One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
    - Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
      Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
      - How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
Fluent adding and subtracting within 100 hard
Must be able to use strategies before explaining why they work
- Adding within 100 hard
  Fluency within 100 builds on strategy-based adding within 100
  - Addition and subtraction within 20 hard
    Adding within 100 extends within-20 strategies to larger numbers
    - Number bonds to 9 hard
      Making-ten strategy requires knowing bonds to 10
      - Numbers up to 10 into pairs hard
        Making 10 is a specific application of decomposing numbers into pairs
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Decomposing numbers into pairs requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
    - Fluent adding and subtracting within 10 hard
      Strategies for within-20 calculation build on fluent within-10 knowledge
      - Number bonds to 9 hard
        Fluency within 10 requires knowing number bonds to 10
        
        Numbers up to 10 into pairs hard
        Making 10 is a specific application of decomposing numbers into pairs
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Decomposing numbers into pairs requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Fluent adding and subtracting within 5 hard
        Fluency within 10 extends from fluency within 5
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Fluency with addition within 5 requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Subtraction as taking away or separating hard
        Fluency with subtraction within 5 requires understanding subtraction as taking away
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding subtraction as taking away requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
  - The two digits of a two-digit number hard
    Adding within 100 using PV requires understanding tens and ones
    - A Ten Is Ten Ones hard
      Understanding tens and ones place value requires the concept of 10 as a bundle
      - The teen numbers hard
        Understanding 10 as a bundle builds on understanding teen numbers as 'a ten and some ones'
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
    - The teen numbers hard
      General two-digit place value extends from understanding teen number composition
      - How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard
        Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Writing digits 0-9 hard
        Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)
        
        Sitting and holding a pencil soft
        Same motor skills for digit formation
- Fluent adding and subtracting within 20 hard
  Fluency within 100 requires fluent single-digit facts
  - Addition and subtraction within 20 hard
    Fluency within 20 requires prior strategy-based adding/subtracting within 20
    - Number bonds to 9 hard
      Making-ten strategy requires knowing bonds to 10
      - Numbers up to 10 into pairs hard
        Making 10 is a specific application of decomposing numbers into pairs
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Decomposing numbers into pairs requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
    - Fluent adding and subtracting within 10 hard
      Strategies for within-20 calculation build on fluent within-10 knowledge
      - Number bonds to 9 hard
        Fluency within 10 requires knowing number bonds to 10
        
        Numbers up to 10 into pairs hard
        Making 10 is a specific application of decomposing numbers into pairs
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Decomposing numbers into pairs requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Fluent adding and subtracting within 5 hard
        Fluency within 10 extends from fluency within 5
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Fluency with addition within 5 requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
        
        Subtraction as taking away or separating hard
        Fluency with subtraction within 5 requires understanding subtraction as taking away
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding subtraction as taking away requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
  - Fluent adding and subtracting within 10 hard
    Fluency within 20 builds on fluency within 10
    - Number bonds to 9 hard
      Fluency within 10 requires knowing number bonds to 10
      - Numbers up to 10 into pairs hard
        Making 10 is a specific application of decomposing numbers into pairs
        
        Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Decomposing numbers into pairs requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
    - Fluent adding and subtracting within 5 hard
      Fluency within 10 extends from fluency within 5
      - Addition as combining or putting together two hard
        Fluency with addition within 5 requires understanding addition as combining
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding addition as combining groups requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'
      - Subtraction as taking away or separating hard
        Fluency with subtraction within 5 requires understanding subtraction as taking away
        
        How Many in Total? hard
        Understanding subtraction as taking away requires knowing numbers represent quantities (cardinality)
        
        One-to-one counting hard
        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'

Unlocks1

Justifying mathematical reasoning
softAges 7—8