Addition and Subtraction - Subtract four digit numbers (more than one exchange) - Starter

The Autumn Term's Week 7 maths starter for Year 4 students delves into the topic of Addition and Subtraction, with a specific focus on subtracting four-digit numbers that require more than one exchange. The "Fluent in Four - Revision" section encourages students to warm up their mathematical skills through a series of exercises. The first task asks students to calculate the sum of 68 and 17, while another prompts them to combine 23 ones and 4 tens with 1 ten and 19 ones, reinforcing place value and addition skills.

A key part of the starter involves understanding the process of exchange in subtraction. Students are presented with a subtraction problem: 7635 minus 5427. They must explain why an exchange is necessary, particularly when there are insufficient ones to subtract 7 from 5. The explanation includes the concept of borrowing ten ones from the tens column, which is then reduced by one ten. This foundational concept is crucial for understanding more complex subtraction problems. The exercise also includes writing the final answer in both numerals and words, reinforcing number literacy. Additionally, students are tasked with finding the difference in length between two pencils, providing a practical application of subtraction that involves both centimetres and millimetres, thus integrating measurement into their mathematical practice.