Addition An operation joining two or more sets where the result is the whole. When adding we use the plus sign '+'.
Commutative property The order in which two numbers are added does not affect the results. The commutative property does not apply to subtraction.
Number line A line that shows numbers ordered by magnitude from left to right or bottom to top; equal intervals are marked and labelled.
Adding is the most basic of operations, or at least the easiest to understand. "I have two apples. I get three more. How many apples do I have now?".
As with multiplication, addition shows the commutative property. In other words, if I started with three apples and got two more, I will still have five. See this for yourself with a sample Year 2 addition exercise. Click the image at right to load our addition games.
It often helps to use a number line to add. This is useful when we add negative numbers, which is the same as subtracting. You can show this as a series of right- and leftward jumps.
Things get a lot more complicated when we need to add fractions. See how this is done on our fractions page.
In a UK report which looks at the limited impact of the money spent on the the Skills for Life programme, author Dame Mary Marsh points out that poor numeracy is somehow far less shameful than poor literacy, and calls for a cultural shift in the nation's attitude to maths.
we're not in the habit of falling for promotional videos with cute themes all the time. But this one, from Google's Chrome OS team, is worth a look for two reasons: playful destruction, and maths.
An OECD report has indicated the importance of maths for a healthy economy: "The level of mathematical knowledge among the general population was found to have a direct relation to Gross Domestic Product."
Easy ways to improve your children's maths with everyday activities.
Maths-Whizz method receives yet another indirect endorsement shocker! August institutions of learning and news reporting go on proving that the Maths-Whizz way is great for learning, and great for learning maths in particular. The New York Times late last month reported on findings in education which may seem obvious, but help resolve a question still [...]
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