Adding Single Digits Up To 10

Addition

Addition is counting items in one set, then counting the items in the other set, and finding how many items would be in the union of the two sets.

Adding up to ten is really easy. You should memorize them all. I suggest using flashcards or some other system to ensure that you get as many as possible deep into your mind.

Once you know all the additions up to 10 and have them memorized, adding larger numbers will be easy.

Adding 0

Adding 0 does nothing. Just recite the other number. 0+0 is, of course, 0.

Adding 1

Adding 1 gives you the next number. 1+6 is: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), 7.

Adding 2

Adding 2 gives you the number after the next. 2+4 is (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), 6.

Adding 3

Likewise, count the next, next, next number.

Adding 4, etc...

These are harder to do. Show that many fingers, say the other number, and count up on your fingers.

For instance, to do 6+4:

1. Show 4 fingers.
2. Say "6"
3. Touch the first finger and say "7"
4. Touch the second finger and say "8"
5. Touch the third finger and say "9"
6. Touch the fourth finger and say "10."

That's the answer: 10.

10 Friends

It's important when adding larger numbers to know the 10-friends. These are 0+10, 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6, and 5+5. Memorize these before you learn how to add up numbers that end up larger than 10.

Adding Larger Numbers

When you go to add two numbers that are both larger than 5, using your fingers is not going to work. This is what I suggest, although some people have a hard time understanding it.

6+8:

1. Take the larger number, 8.
2. What is the 10 friend of 8? 2.
3. Take 2 from 6. What plus 2 makes 6? 4.
4. So, we have a 10 (8+2) and a 4, the answer is 14.

Practice

You really, really need to get good at adding. I can't imagine you going on to multiplication without it.