The tasks in this feature are designed to encourage learners to make, and justify, decisions about the method they use to solve a calculation. If we give pupils opportunities to choose a method that is well suited to a particular calculation, they will become curious, adventurous mathematicians, and are more likely to be accurate compared with following a procedure without reflecting first.
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Let's get flexible!
In this article for primary teachers, Ems outlines how we can encourage learners to be flexible in their approach to calculation, and why this is crucial.
problem
Favourite
Arranging additions and sorting subtractions
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Order these four calculations from easiest to hardest. How did you decide?
problem
Favourite
Fruity pairs
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Which two items of fruit could Kate and Sam choose? Can you order the prices from lowest to highest?
problem
Favourite
Subtraction slip
Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
Can you spot the mistake in this video? How would you work out the answer to this calculation?
problem
Favourite
Picture your method
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Can you match these calculation methods to their visual representations?
problem
Favourite
Compare the calculations
Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
Can you put these four calculations into order of difficulty? How did you decide?
problem
Favourite
Method in multiplying madness?
Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
Watch our videos of multiplication methods that you may not have met before. Can you make sense of them?
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Number Fluency
This feature brings together tasks which help to develop learners' fluency in the context of number and calculation.
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Flexible approaches to problem solving
Age
11 to 18
Challenge level
The problems in this feature challenge students to explore different ways of arriving at a solution.