Inverse Operations - PowerPoint

In a comprehensive set of teaching resources aimed at Year 5 students, the subject of inverse operations in addition and subtraction is thoroughly explored. The materials introduce the concept by examining the interrelated nature of these two fundamental mathematical operations. The resources guide students through the understanding that addition and subtraction are inverse processes, meaning that they can undo each other. This is illustrated using bar models, fact families, and practical examples to show how the commutative property of addition allows the addends to be switched while maintaining the same sum. Additionally, the lessons demonstrate how a subtraction sum can be checked by performing the inverse addition operation, and vice versa, reinforcing the connection between the two operations.

The resources further delve into the application of inverse operations to solve problems and verify answers. Students are encouraged to think critically by completing fact families, finding missing numbers using the part-whole model, and engaging in problem-solving scenarios that require the use of inverse operations. For instance, when given a subtraction problem, students are shown how to find the corresponding addition sum to check their work. The teaching materials provide various exercises, including worksheets, to practice these concepts. These exercises challenge students to complete fact families, use inverse operations to check calculations, and solve problems by identifying the inverse operation required to find a missing number or to confirm the accuracy of a result.