Mental calculations with mixed operations worksheet

The KS2Gems 2022 worksheets are designed to enhance the mental arithmetic skills of Key Stage 2 students, focusing on mixed operations and handling large numbers. Activity 1 requires the use of random digit number cards and ones/tens/hundreds/thousands digit cards. Students arrange these cards into two piles and then combine a card from each pile to perform either an addition or subtraction operation as directed by the teacher. The answers are mentally calculated and written on whiteboards, with some students making jottings to aid their calculations. After sharing and discussing their answers, the activity is repeated with variations such as using different mathematical terms or a timer for added challenge.

Activity 2 to 6 continue the theme of mental calculations with progressively more complex challenges. For example, Activity 3 involves rolling dice to generate a target number and then using additional rolls to find a combination of numbers that can be manipulated using any of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) to reach the target. Students may be required to use all the numbers rolled or just a selection, depending on the variation specified. In Activities 4 to 6, students perform a range of operations including multiplication and division with 3 and 4 digit numbers and multiples of 10 or 100, always recording their answers on whiteboards for class discussion. The overarching objectives of these activities are to develop proficiency in performing mental calculations with mixed operations and large numbers, and to encourage students to share and discuss the strategies they use to reach the correct answers.