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Watch: Column addition

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How to write column addition

When writing down sums, separate the numbers into ones, tens, hundreds and thousands.

List the numbers in a column and always start adding with the ones first.

  • Estimate first and check afterwards - it's a good idea to estimate a rough answer first and then check your actual answer.
  • Order doesn't matter - remember that 345 + 129 is the same as 129 + 345.
  • Key words - look out for these words in problems: total, sum, altogether, more. They all indicate an addition calculation.
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Activity 1

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Activity 2

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Activity 3

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Teaching resources

Are you looking for more resources on column addition? This animated short film is from the ±«Óătv Teach series, Hypatia's Mathematical Maze, and introduces the concept of adding and subtracting using written methods.

±«Óătv Teach has thousands of free, curriculum-linked resources to help deliver lessons - all arranged by subject and age group.

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More on Adding and subtracting

Find out more by working through a topic