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Year 5

Represent a change story using addition and subtraction symbols

I can represent a change story using addition and subtraction symbols.

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New
New
Year 5

Represent a change story using addition and subtraction symbols

I can represent a change story using addition and subtraction symbols.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A change can be positive or negative.
  2. A change can be represented by a negative number.

Common misconception

Pupils believe that subtraction is commutative and therefore equations can be written in any order.

Model with physical resources such as marbles in a bag that 4 - 6 results in a negative change but 6 - 4 results in a positive change.

Keywords

  • Positive change - An overall amount has increased.

  • Negative change - An overall amount has decreased.

  • Negative number - Any value less than zero.

If the resources are available, allow pupils to spend time engaging with the 'Marbles in a Bag' game to get hands-on experience of physical change. Marbles can be substituted for other resources such as counters.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following words is the same as add? Select all that apply.
Correct answer: sum
minus
Correct answer: total
Correct answer: increase
Correct answer: plus
Q2.
The temperature is 32℃. It decreases by 9℃. Tick the symbols that would be needed to write this as an equation.
+
Correct answer: −
x
Correct answer: =
Q3.
The temperature is 12℃. It drops by 11℃. Which of the following unsolved equations matches the problem?
Correct answer: 12 − 11 = ?
11 − 12 = ?
Correct answer: ? = 12 − 11
11 + 17 = ?
17 + 11 = ?
Q4.
32 − 17 =
Correct Answer: 15, 15.0, 15., fifteen, Fifteen
Q5.
Which of the following mean 'subtract'?
Correct answer: Take away
Add
Correct answer: Minus
Correct answer: Remove
Combine
Q6.
Match the word with its correct definition.
Correct Answer:equation,one number, calculation or expression is equal to another

one number, calculation or expression is equal to another

Correct Answer:difference,the result of subtracting one number from another

the result of subtracting one number from another

Correct Answer:addition,finding the total, or sum, by combining two or more numbers

finding the total, or sum, by combining two or more numbers

Correct Answer:change,make something different

make something different

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Describe the change.
An image in a quiz
Positive change
Correct answer: Negative change
No change
Q2.
Which of the these would result in a negative change to the number of marbles in the bag?
Put eight in, take three out.
Correct answer: Put three in, take eight out.
Correct answer: Add five, take away seven.
Add seven, take away five.
Correct answer: Put five in, remove nine.
Q3.
Jun is adding in and taking out one pound coins from his piggy bank. Which of these would result in a negative difference to the amount of money in the piggy bank?
Correct answer: Put £3 in, take £5 out.
Put £5 in, take £3 out.
Correct answer: Add £7, take £9 out.
Add £9, take £7 out.
Correct answer: Put £13 in, take £20 out.
Q4.
People are getting on and off a bus at different stops. The bus already has a number of passengers. Which of these would result in a negative change?
Correct answer: Nine got on, 13 got off.
13 got on, nine got off.
Correct answer: Nobody got on, three got off.
Three got on, nobody got off.
Nobody got on, nobody got off.
Q5.
Jun and Sofia are playing the marbles game. They have used the equation 5 − 7 = −2. What does each of the numbers represent?
Correct Answer:5,the number of marbles added to the bag

the number of marbles added to the bag

Correct Answer:7,the number of marbles taken out of the bag

the number of marbles taken out of the bag

Correct Answer:−2,the change in the number of marbles

the change in the number of marbles

Q6.
Jun adds £4 to his piggy bank and takes £6 out. Which of the following equations describes this?
£6 − £4 = £2
Correct answer: £4 − £6 = −£2
Correct answer: −£2 = £4 − £6
£4 − £2 = −£6