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Lesson 9 of 10

Solve multi-step addition and subtraction problems efficiently

I can solve multi-step addition and subtraction problems efficiently.

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Lesson 9 of 10
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Solve multi-step addition and subtraction problems efficiently

I can solve multi-step addition and subtraction problems efficiently.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Addition and subtraction can be done in any order
  2. If you do the addition and subtraction in a different order, the answer will be the same
  3. The most efficient order can be chosen by looking at the numbers

Keywords

  • Efficient - Working efficiently means finding a way to solve a problem quickly whilst also maintaining accuracy.

  • Reorder - Reorder means arrange something in a different way.

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle when reordering equations where the addends and subtrahends are calculated first (e.g. 455 + 39 - 38)

Give pupils opportunities to explore the relationship between the addend and subtrahend. They could calculate the answers to problems where the subtrahend is one less than the addend (e.g. 45 + 10 - 9). Can they see a pattern in their answers?

Manipulatives such as tens frames or base ten blocks may be useful for this lesson, although they are most appropriate for cycle 1. Pupils will need some familiarity with rearranging addition and subtraction equations.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which expression would give the same answer as 12 + 3 − 5?

10 − 5 + 3
Correct answer: 12 − 5 + 3
12 − 3 + 5

Q2.
True or false? 16 + 4 – 2 is equal to 16 – 4 + 2

true
Correct answer: false

Q3.
Match the expressions with those that have the same answer.

Correct Answer:10 + 6 − 4,10 − 4 + 6

10 − 4 + 6

Correct Answer:10 + 4 − 6,10 − 6 + 4

10 − 6 + 4

Correct Answer:10 + 6 − 5,10 − 5 + 6

10 − 5 + 6

Q4.
What is 16 + 7 + 4 =

Correct Answer: 27, seventeen

Q5.
There are 11 people on a bus. At the next stop, 4 people get on the bus and 2 people get off. How many people are on the bus? Which calculations would give the correct answer?

Correct answer: 11 − 2 + 4 =
11 + 2 − 4 =
Correct answer: 11 + 4 − 2 =
11 − 4 + 2 =

Q6.
What is the missing number? 15 + 5 − $$\square$$ = 10

Correct Answer: 10, ten

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which expression would give the same answer as 15 + 4 − 5?

15 − 4 + 5
5 − 5 + 4
Correct answer: 15 − 5 + 4

Q2.
What is the most efficient order to answer 16 − 6 + 7?

Correct answer: 16 − 6 + 7
16 + 7 − 6
16 + 6 − 7

Q3.
What is 17 − 8 + 3?

Correct answer: 12
13
14
22

Q4.
What is 106 + 25 − 6 =

Correct Answer: 125, one hundred and twenty-five

Q5.
What is 99 + 19 − 18?

Correct answer: 100
101
109
118

Q6.
What is 187 − 30 + 40 =

Correct Answer: 197

Lesson appears in

UnitMaths / Understand additive relationships and apply them to rearrange equations

Maths

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