Max Maths, Year 5, Learn together, Calculating the difference between two near multiples of 1000

In the Max Maths Year 5 curriculum, students explore how to calculate the difference between two numbers that are close to multiples of 1,000. This concept is introduced through an example that asks how one might find the difference between 789 and 1,002. To solve this, a number line is employed as a visual aid. The number line is marked with key points, such as 770, 790, 800, 1,000, 1,002, and 1,020, to help students see the increments between the numbers in question.

The method involves breaking down the calculation into smaller, more manageable parts. For instance, moving from 789 to 790 is a jump of 1, then from 790 to 800 is a jump of 10, followed by a larger jump of 200 to reach 1,000. Finally, a small step from 1,000 to 1,002 adds 2 more to the tally. By adding all these jumps together (1 + 10 + 200 + 2), students find that the difference between 789 and 1,002 is 213. Alternatively, students can round the numbers to their nearest multiples of 1,000 (789 to 790 and 1,002 to 1,000), calculate the difference as 210, and then adjust this number by adding the small differences (1 + 2) to reach the same result of 213. This approach reinforces the understanding of place value and the concept of rounding numbers to estimate differences.