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Mental Math Addition Strategies

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Mental Math Addition Strategies worksheet preview

Mental Math Addition Strategies

Student thinking with numbers floating around their head

🧠 Part 1: Strategy Practice

1. Breaking Apart Numbers: Solve 47 + 25 by breaking apart the numbers.

47 = _____ + _____ 25 = _____ + _____

Now add: _____ + _____ = _____ _____ + _____ = _____

Final answer: _____ + _____ = _____

2. Making Tens: Solve 38 + 27 by making tens first.

38 + _____ = 40 (I need to add _____)

27 - _____ = _____ (I have _____ left from 27)

40 + _____ = _____

3. Using Doubles: Choose the best strategy for 16 + 17.

Use double 16: 16 + 16 + 1

Use double 17: 17 + 17 - 1

Break apart: (10 + 10) + (6 + 7)

Show your working: _________________________________

4. Making Hundreds: Solve 185 + 97 using the making hundreds strategy.

✏️ Part 2: Choose Your Strategy

5. Solve these problems using ANY mental math strategy. Show your thinking!

a) 56 + 39 = _____

Strategy used: _________________________________

Working: _____________________________________

b) 24 + 26 = _____

Strategy used: _________________________________

Working: _____________________________________

6. Which strategy works best for each problem? Draw a line to match.
48 + 49
73 + 18
156 + 95
34 + 27
Making Hundreds
Using Doubles
Breaking Apart
Making Tens

🤔 Part 3: Explain Your Thinking

7. Look at this problem: 67 + 28. Explain step-by-step how you would solve it using your favourite mental math strategy.
8. Which mental math strategy do you find easiest to use? Why?

Breaking Apart Numbers

Making Tens/Hundreds

Using Doubles

Explain your choice: ________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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