Addition Number Stories
Number stories (word problems) are real-life situations that use maths. For addition, they describe situations where amounts are joined together to find a total.
What You Need to Know
Number stories (word problems) are real-life situations that use maths. For addition, they describe situations where amounts are joined together to find a total.
Key Concept Diagram
Addition stories describe joining two groups together
Key words for addition: altogether, in total, how many in all, join, plus, more
We read the story, find the numbers, then write a number sentence
Always check: does your answer make sense in the story?
Key Vocabulary
number story
A real-life problem written in words that uses maths to solve
total
The whole amount when two or more groups are added together
number sentence
A mathematical statement using numbers and symbols: 4 + 3 = 7
sum
The answer you get when you add two or more numbers
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
There are 4 red apples and 3 green apples. How many apples are there altogether?
Question 2
6 birds are sitting on a fence. 2 more birds fly in. How many birds are there now?
Question 3
Which number sentence matches this story: "There are 5 dogs and 4 cats"?
Question 4
A class has 10 boys and 8 girls. What is the TOTAL number of students?
Question 5
Which word in a number story often means we should ADD?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Addition stories describe joining two groups together
- ●Key words for addition: altogether, in total, how many in all, join, plus, more
- ●We read the story, find the numbers, then write a number sentence
- ●Always check: does your answer make sense in the story?