Year 1 Mathematics · AC9M1N05

Additive Problem Solving and Money

Additive problems can involve joining, taking away, comparing or finding a missing part. Diagrams and materials help decide what to do

Ready to project and teach

Learning goalsSay it simply

Additive problems can involve joining, taking away, comparing or finding a missing part. Diagrams and materials help decide what to do.

Learning routine: Read story → Draw/model → Choose operation → Solve → Check answer

Success looks like

  • Model additive stories
  • Use diagrams/materials
  • Solve money problems
  • Choose operations
  • Check units
Key conceptTeach from the board

Represent the story before calculating

Cost 7cPay 10cChange ?

Think: 7 + ? = 10, so the change is 3c.

Use a diagram to choose add or subtract

startchangeresult

The diagram shows whether you are finding the total, a leftover, or a missing part.

Explain your thinking: Say what each part of the model represents, then explain why the answer or conclusion follows.

Clean visual examplesOne-page board

Clean one-page examples

AC9M1N05 - Additive Problem Solving and Money
Example 1

Cost 7c Pay 10c Change ?

Example 2

start change result

Example 3

Shop model Use play coins to solve a simple buying and change problem. Model: 10c − 6c = 4c

Example 4

Bar model Draw parts and whole for an additive story. Model: part + part = whole

Curriculum examplesCurriculum examples

These curriculum examples extend the central model into varied contexts. They are learning contexts, not extra definitions to memorise.

E1

modelling problems involving addition and subtraction presented in stories, using a Think Board to represent the problem, solving the problem using physical materials and explaining the connections between any materials used, the Think Board diagram and the numbers within the story

Try and explain: A box holds 13 crayons. Eight are blue and the rest are red. How many are red?

Answer and teaching point

Five are red. Show a whole of 13 split into eight and the missing part; 13 − 8 = 5 or 8 + 5 = 13.

E2

modelling simple money problems involving addition and subtraction using whole dollar amounts; for example, setting up a shop and role-playing practical problems of buying and selling of goods, using addition and subtraction with play money and prices in whole dollar amounts; solving the problem “I had \$14 and was given \$15 for my birthday” using addition to answer the problem

Try and explain: At a pretend shop, a notebook costs $6 and a pen costs $3. You pay $10. How much change is due?

Answer and teaching point

The cost is $9, so the change is $1. Check that $9 + $1 equals the $10 paid.

E3

modelling a variety of different additive situations to solve practical problems; for example, keeping track of the number of people on a bus as it stops to pick up and drop off passengers or the number of people entering a lift

Try and explain: A bus has nine passengers. Four get off and six get on. How many are on the bus now?

Answer and teaching point

9 − 4 = 5, then 5 + 6 = 11 passengers. Account for both changes in the correct order.

Choose an operation from the situation

Represent an additive problem, solve it and say what the answer means.

Worked example

A game needs 15 counters. There are 9 on the table. How many more are needed?

  1. Draw a bar for the total of 15. Mark the 9 already there and leave the missing part blank.
  2. Count on from 9 to 15: one to reach 10, then five more. That is six altogether.
  3. Six more counters are needed. Check: 9 + 6 = 15.

Watch for this mistake: The words ‘more’ do not always mean add the two numbers given. Ask what is known and which part is missing.

Try it, then explain

  1. A book costs $7. You pay with $10. How much change should you receive?

    Hint

    Find the missing part between 7 and 10.

    Answer and explanation

    $3. The $7 cost and $3 change together equal the $10 paid.

  2. There are 8 red blocks and 5 blue blocks. Draw a model and find the total.

    Hint

    Both coloured groups are parts of one total.

    Answer and explanation

    13 blocks; 8 + 5 = 13.

Questions and answersWith answers

Key idea: Additive problems can involve joining, taking away, comparing or finding a missing part. Diagrams and materials help decide what to do.

Remember

  • Model additive stories
  • Use diagrams/materials
  • Solve money problems
  • Choose operations
  • Check units

Quick questions

  • A toy costs 8c. You pay 10c. What is the change?
  • What diagram helps with two parts and a whole?
  • When does a story need subtraction?
  • Why should the answer include units?

Return to the concept model if an answer is uncertain. Use the model to explain, not just to guess.

Practice and reviewReady for practice
  • Number grabbing — Read the story before choosing an operation.
  • Money answer without units — Use cents or dollars in the answer.
  • Ignoring missing part problems — Sometimes subtraction is solved by thinking addition: 6 + ? = 10.
Curriculum alignmentStart here

Additive problems can involve joining, taking away, comparing or finding a missing part. Diagrams and materials help decide what to do.

Learning routine: Read story → Draw/model → Choose operation → Solve → Check answer

Success looks like

  • Model additive stories
  • Use diagrams/materials
  • Solve money problems
  • Choose operations
  • Check units

AC9M1N05: use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving additive situations including simple money transactions; represent the situations with diagrams, physical and virtual materials, and use calculation strategies to solve the problem

Australian Curriculum Version 9.0

Teach & ExplainTeaching slides and samples

Teach this topic step by step

Explore optional teaching slide packs for classroom lessons and explanations at home.

Browse Teach & Explain · Browse Print & Go

Teachers: follow SkillrHub on TPT, then email us to request a free sample before buying. Include the year, subject and topic or curriculum code.

Request a free sample

After trying the sample, honest feedback is welcome. A TPT review is optional, where available, and does not need to be positive.