Max Maths, Year 5, Try it, Adding and subtracting near multiples of 10 and 100 (2)

In the 'Max Maths' programme for Year 5, students are encouraged to practise adding and subtracting numbers that are close to multiples of 10 and 100. The exercise begins with a simple addition problem: 381 + 102. The strategy involves recognising that 102 is nearly a multiple of 100, which can simplify the calculation process. To solve this, students first add 100 to 381, making it an easier sum of 481. They then need to add the remaining 2 to reach the final answer. This method breaks down the addition into more manageable parts, allowing students to work with round numbers and then make small adjustments to find the correct total.

The practice section of the lesson provides a series of addition and subtraction problems that follow the same principle. Students are tasked with completing sums by counting on in tens or hundreds and then making slight adjustments to account for the difference between the near multiple and the actual number. For instance, when adding 573 + 98, they would add 100 to 573 and then subtract 2 to adjust for the near multiple. Similarly, subtraction problems require students to count back in tens or hundreds before adjusting. Through exercises like these, students develop mental arithmetic skills and an understanding of how to simplify complex calculations by breaking them down into more straightforward steps. The workbook pages 34 to 37 offer additional practice to reinforce these concepts.