List

Addition and subtraction KS1

This collection is one of our Primary Curriculum collections - tasks that are grouped by topic.

Subtraction Slip
problem
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Subtraction slip

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Can you spot the mistake in this video? How would you work out the answer to this calculation?
One Big Triangle
problem
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One big triangle

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Make one big triangle so the numbers that touch on the small triangles add to 10.

Equivalent Pairs
problem
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Equivalent pairs

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Can you match pairs of cards which show the same amount?
Two flowers with the numbers 15 and 16 on them
problem
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Butterfly flowers

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Can you find two butterflies to go on each flower so that the numbers on each pair of butterflies adds to the number on their flower?

Placeholder: several colourful numbers
project

How many?

This project challenges you to work out the number of cubes hidden under a cloth. What questions would you like to ask?

What's in a Name?
problem
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What's in a name?

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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What do you notice about these squares of numbers? What is the same? What is different?
Totality
problem
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Totality

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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This is an adding game for two players. Can you be the first to reach the target?
Cuisenaire Counting
problem
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Cuisenaire counting

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Here are some rods that are different colours. How could I make a yellow rod using white and red rods?
Number Balance
problem
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Number balance

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Can you hang weights in the right place to make the the number balance balanced?

Domino Sorting
problem
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Domino sorting

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Try grouping the dominoes in the ways described. Are there any left over each time? Can you explain why?
Number Lines
problem
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Number lines

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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A resource to try once children are familiar with number lines, and they have begun to use them for addition. It could be a good way to talk about subtraction. Leah and Tom each have a number line. Can you work out where their counters will land?
Strike it out
problem
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Strike it out

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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Use your addition and subtraction skills, combined with some strategic thinking, to beat your partner at this game.

Sort them out (1)
problem
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Sort them out (1)

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice? How could you sort the cards?
Sitting round the party tables
problem
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Sitting round the party tables

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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Sweets are given out to party-goers in a particular way. Investigate the total number of sweets received by people sitting in different positions.
Pairs of Numbers
problem
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Pairs of numbers

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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If you have ten counters numbered 1 to 10, how many can you put into pairs that add to 10? Which ones do you have to leave out? Why?
The add and take-away path
problem
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The add and take-away path

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Two children made up a game as they walked along the garden paths. Can you find out their scores? Can you find some paths of your own?
Half Time
problem
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Half time

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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What could the half time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches?
What was in the Box?
problem
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What was in the box?

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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This big box adds something to any number that goes into it. If you know the numbers that come out, what addition might be going on in the box?
Doing and undoing
problem
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Doing and undoing

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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An investigation looking at doing and undoing mathematical operations focusing on doubling, halving, adding and subtracting.
How do you see it?
problem
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How do you see it?

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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Here are some short problems for you to try. Talk to your friends about how you work them out.

Two Spinners
problem
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Two spinners

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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What two-digit numbers can you make with these two dice? What can't you make?
What Could \It Be?
problem
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What could it be?

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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In this calculation, the box represents a missing digit. What could the digit be? What would the solution be in each case?
Unit Differences
problem
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Unit differences

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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This challenge is about finding the difference between numbers which have the same tens digit.
Two Dice
problem
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Two dice

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Find all the numbers that can be made by adding the dots on two dice.
Dicey Addition
problem
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Dicey addition

Age
5 to 11
Challenge level
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Who said that adding couldn't be fun?
Birthday Cakes
problem
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Birthday cakes

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Jack's mum bought some candles to use on his birthday cakes and when his sister was born, she used them on her cakes too. Can you use the information to find out when Kate was born?
Heads and Feet
problem
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Heads and feet

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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On a farm there were some hens and sheep. Altogether there were 8 heads and 22 feet. How many hens were there?
Ladybirds in the Garden
problem
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Ladybirds in the garden

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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In Sam and Jill's garden there are two sorts of ladybirds with 7 spots or 4 spots. What numbers of total spots can you make?
Eggs in Baskets
problem
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Eggs in baskets

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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There are three baskets, a brown one, a red one and a pink one, holding a total of 10 eggs. How many eggs are in each basket?
Secret Number
problem
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Secret number

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Annie and Ben are playing a game with a calculator. What was Annie's secret number?

Find the Difference
problem
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Find the difference

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Place the numbers 1 to 6 in the circles so that each number is the difference between the two numbers just below it.
Jumping squares
problem
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Jumping squares

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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In this problem it is not the squares that jump, you do the jumping! The idea is to go round the track in as few jumps as possible.
Noah
problem
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Noah

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Noah saw 12 legs walk by into the Ark. How many creatures did he see?
Number Round Up
problem
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Number round up

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Arrange the numbers 1 to 6 in each set of circles below. The sum of each side of the triangle should equal the number in its centre.
The Brown Family
problem
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The Brown family

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Use the information about Sally and her brother to find out how many children there are in the Brown family.

The Tall Tower
problem
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The tall tower

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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As you come down the ladders of the Tall Tower you collect useful spells. Which way should you go to collect the most spells?
2, 4, 6, 8
problem
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2, 4, 6, 8

Age
5 to 7
Challenge level
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Using the cards 2, 4, 6, 8, +, - and =, what number statements can you make?


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Primary Addition and Subtraction STEM footer
 

You may also be interested in this collection of activities from the STEM Learning website, that complement the NRICH activities above.