Adding by making 10

Adding by making 10 first

Adding single digit numbers can sometimes make double digit numbers.

A handy way to make this easier, is by making 10 first.

This diagram shows the connection between the numbers that form number bonds to 10.

Activity: Adding by making 10 first?

Learn more about adding by making 10 first with this interactive activity and then put your knowledge to the test with a quiz.

How to add to 10

Adding by making 10 first, makes finding the answer easier.

First, you work out what to add to the first number to make 10.

You then split the other number up to give you this number bond to 10.

Then, you add whatever you have left over.

Let's look at an example.

What is 7 + 5?

You can use a tens frame and some counters to help work out the answer.

You know that the answer must be bigger than 10, because 7 and 3 make a number bond to 10.

So, you need two tens frames to work this out.

First let’s put the 7 pink counters into the first tens frame.

How many counters do you need to add to the first tens frame to make 10?

You know that 7 and 3 make 10.

7 + 3 = 10

So you need to add 3 more counters to the tens frame.

That leaves 2 green counters left over.

You can then add the remaining 2 counters to the second tens frame, which makes a total of 12.

Therefore you can see that:

7 + 3 + 2 ‎ = 12

Or that:

7 + 5 ‎ = 12