Advertisement
KS2 Bitesize banner
Print

Writing it down

When writing down sums, separate the numbers into units, tens, hundreds and thousands. List the numbers in a column and always start adding with the units first.

So when adding together 7948 + 1223, you should write it down like this:

addiing the sum 7948 + 1223

Some tips for addition

  • 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 in addition 394 + 88 is the same as 88 + 394.

  • Key words - look out for these words in problems: total, sum, altogether, more. They all indicate an addition calculation.

Write down your sums if the numbers are too high or too difficult to add in your head.

More from Addition:

Play Quiz

Explore the BBC

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.