Max Maths, Year 6, Practice, Mental addition and subtraction

In a segment from a Year 6 mathematics practice book, students are encouraged to develop their mental arithmetic skills with exercises focused on addition and subtraction. The 'Let's Try It' section demonstrates how to mentally compute the difference and sum of large numbers by breaking them down into their multiples. For instance, to find the difference between 6,700 and 4,400, students are advised to first consider the difference between the multiples of 100 that are closest to these numbers, then apply the same difference to the original numbers. Similarly, when adding 3,800 and 1,200, the method involves adding the multiples of 100 first and then translating that sum to the actual numbers.

The 'Let's Practise' section provides a series of mental arithmetic problems for the students to solve, reinforcing the techniques demonstrated earlier. The exercises include subtracting and adding various numbers, such as finding the difference between 780 and 180, adding 3,000 to 2,500, and calculating the sum of 6,400 and 4,400, among others. These exercises are designed to help students quickly and efficiently perform mental calculations, a vital skill for everyday problem-solving. The practice book directs students to workbook pages 35 to 37 for further practice and to consolidate their learning.