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Mental Addition Strategies

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Mental Addition Strategies

Mental maths strategies illustration

🧠 Part 1: Strategy Recognition

Look at each calculation and identify which mental addition strategy is being used.

1. To solve 47 + 36, Sam thinks: "40 + 30 = 70, then 7 + 6 = 13, so 70 + 13 = 83"

Partitioning

Bridging

Compensation

2. To solve 58 + 25, Maya thinks: "58 + 2 = 60, then 60 + 23 = 83"

Partitioning

Bridging

Compensation

3. To solve 49 + 26, Alex thinks: "50 + 26 = 76, then 76 - 1 = 75"

Partitioning

Bridging

Compensation

4. Which strategies work well for adding 298 + 157? (Tick all that apply)

Partitioning (200 + 100, 90 + 50, 8 + 7)

Bridging (298 + 2 + 155)

Compensation (300 + 157 - 2)

✏️ Part 2: Apply the Strategies

Solve these additions using the mental strategy shown. Show your thinking steps.

5. Use partitioning to solve 64 + 28:
6. Use bridging to solve 87 + 35:
7. Use compensation to solve 156 + 99:
8. Choose your own strategy to solve 247 + 186. Explain why you chose this method:

🎯 Part 3: Strategy Challenge

9. Emma needs to add 395 + 278 quickly in her head. Which strategy would be most efficient and why?
10. Create your own addition problem that would work best with the compensation strategy. Explain your choice:

My problem: _______ + _______ = _______

11. A shop till shows £47 + £36 + £28. Use mental strategies to find the total cost. Show your method:

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