What is the making ten to add strategy?

📚 What is the 'Making Ten' Addition Strategy?

The 'making ten' strategy is a mental math technique used to simplify addition problems, particularly those involving numbers that are close to ten. Instead of directly adding two numbers, you decompose one number to create a ten with the other number. This simplifies the addition process because adding ten is typically easier than adding other numbers.

📜 History and Background

The 'making ten' strategy isn't attributed to a single inventor or historical period. It evolved as a practical method for teaching and simplifying basic addition. It's rooted in number sense and understanding how numbers can be decomposed and recomposed to facilitate mental calculations. This strategy is often taught in early elementary education to build a strong foundation in number operations.

🔑 Key Principles of the 'Making Ten' Strategy

• 🍎 Decomposition: Understanding how to break down a number into smaller parts. For example, recognizing that 7 can be decomposed into 5 + 2 or 6 + 1.
• 🤝 Partners to Ten: Identifying pairs of numbers that add up to ten. Key pairs include: 1 + 9, 2 + 8, 3 + 7, 4 + 6, and 5 + 5.
• ➕ Recomposition: Combining the parts to form a ten and then adding the remaining amount.

📝 Step-by-Step Example: 8 + 5

1. 🍎 Identify: Start with the problem: 8 + 5.
2. ✨ Make a Ten: Determine how much 8 needs to reach 10. 8 needs 2 to become 10.
3. ✂️ Decompose: Break down 5 into 2 + 3.
4. ➕ Recombine: Add the 2 to the 8 to make 10. Now the problem is 10 + 3.
5. ✅ Solve: 10 + 3 = 13. Therefore, 8 + 5 = 13.

➕ More Real-World Examples

• Example 1: 7 + 6
  • 🤔 How much does 7 need to make 10? It needs 3.
  • ✂️ Break down 6 into 3 + 3.
  • ➕ Add 3 to 7 to make 10. Now you have 10 + 3.
  • ✅ Answer: 13
• Example 2: 9 + 4
  • 🤔 How much does 9 need to make 10? It needs 1.
  • ✂️ Break down 4 into 1 + 3.
  • ➕ Add 1 to 9 to make 10. Now you have 10 + 3.
  • ✅ Answer: 13
• Example 3: 6 + 8
  • 🤔 How much does 6 need to make 10? It needs 4.
  • ✂️ Break down 8 into 4 + 4.
  • ➕ Add 4 to 6 to make 10. Now you have 10 + 4.
  • ✅ Answer: 14

💡 Tips and Tricks for Mastering the Strategy

• 🧮 Practice Regularly: Consistent practice will reinforce the number bonds and make the process more automatic.
• 🖐️ Use Manipulatives: Using objects like counters or beads can help visualize the decomposition and recomposition of numbers.
• 💬 Verbalize the Process: Talking through the steps can reinforce understanding and identify areas of confusion.

✅ Conclusion

The 'making ten' strategy is a valuable tool for building number sense and improving mental math skills. By understanding how to decompose and recompose numbers, students can simplify addition problems and develop a stronger foundation in mathematics. With practice, this strategy can become a quick and efficient way to solve addition problems mentally.