One of the first skills students learn is addition. Addition is the
natural advance after counting. Many students do not grasp this basic
skill properly. As a result, students find it difficult to advance
to higher level skills and they get stuck. Therefore, to make the
task easier, here are five easy ways to learn addition. You may have
heard of some of these games, they go by many different names. In
addition to some simple games, we offer up some techniques to keep
in mind when adding numbers in general. If you are already good at
addition, you will still find these tips helpful to make you faster
at addition.
Students definitely grasp the lessons easier when their studies are
combined with games. These methods are ideal if you find it difficult
to add large numbers. Students studying at advanced level may also
find these methods helpful and improve their addition skills. These
games can also be adapted to most math skills. The games are fun and
students forget they are learning.
Activity 1: Snap Game:
The first method for students to learn addition is through something
we like to call the snap game. A game of snap is easy to learn. It
will hold your attention and develop expertise with breaking numerical
into add ends. For this game, you will need some dice. Start with
a pair of dice and advance to using a 3 or 4 die later. Now, ask your
parents to call out numbers for you to make a chain of dice. For instance,
when your parent says make 8, you need to join the numbers on the
dice to make the number 8. 4 + 4, 2 + 6, 3 + 5. As you can see the
possibilities are numerous. You can build off of these numbers and
continuous add numbers until you run out of dice. This game can also
be used to learn subtraction. The snap game can help us to build the
foundation of the addition skill.
Activity 2: Using Pebbles and Black Boards:
In this method, you need to obtain a few pebbles, a blackboard or
white board and chalk. To start with, you need to keep one number
in mind. For instance, if you think of number five, place five pebbles
on the table and write five on the board. Next, again think of some
number may be say four. You need to add four pebbles to earlier five
pebbles. Now, on the board, below five include a plus sign and write
four below it.
Count the pebbles, which will come to nine. Write it down on the
board. You need to start with smaller numbers initially and then try
to practice addition using two figure numbers. You can build this
series of numbers continuously. You will see that in few minutes,
you have gained expertise in addition.
Activity 3: Count large numbers first:
For instance, 7 + 2, start counting seven until its immediate next number,
two times. That means, after seven comes eight (this is one time),
then after eight comes nine (second time). Try this counting method.
It will make addition easy and fun. This is more of a quick trick
when setting up problems than a game. It does make addition easier
though.
Activity 4: Adding double-digit number:
If you want to add double-digit numbers, you can either use this
method or break the bigger numbers into units of tens. For instance,
in 15 + 4, break the number 15 into units as well as tens. That means
it will become 5 + 10. Now first add the units and then add the obtained
sum to tens. Add 4 + 5 that gives 9, and then add 10 + 9, to give
19.
Activity 5: Use addition tables:
You may also use addition table to add numbers. In this addition
table, if you want to add 2 to 5, go down two spaces in the row and
then five spaces along the column. You will get the desired answer
that is seven. You may also go five columns down and two rows horizontally
to get the answer.
Overview:
Addition is the foundation of arithmetic. If you practice the above-mentioned
methods, it will improve your subtraction skills too. Apart from these
methods, make use of math work books. Write down each number in the
box and then use methods discussed above.
Math worksheets are particularly useful while adding larger numbers
or decimals. Practice the math problems from the workbooks and solve
them. Thus, learn these five methods and solve the math efficiently.