missing addends worksheets

Teaching Notes

Focus: Missing Numbers in Addition. Use the worked example and teaching sequence below to explain the reasoning before independent practice.

Before You Begin

• Read the numbers and identify the operation.

Teaching Steps for Parents and Teachers

1. Read each number by place value.
2. Add the ones, then the tens and any remaining places.
3. When a column totals ten or more, exchange ten units for one unit in the next place.
4. Record the carried amount before continuing.
5. In a horizontal problem, you may rewrite the numbers vertically; the ones must still line up.
6. For a blank, identify the missing quantity. Substitute the completed value back into the original statement to check it.

Worked Examples

Find the missing number: 327 + □ = 573.

1. Subtract the known addend from the sum: 573 − 327 = 246.
2. Check with addition: 327 + 246 = 573.

Answer: 246

Common Mistakes and How to Help

A carried ten belongs in the next column. Do not write a two-digit total into a single place or forget to include a carry in the next sum.

Subtract one addend from the sum. The result should equal the other addend.

Questions to Check Understanding

• Subtract one addend from the sum. The result should equal the other addend.
• Which step explains your answer?
• Can you apply the same reasoning when the numbers change?

Practice Advice

Work through the example together. Ask the learner to explain the first two problems, then try three independently. Review the first incorrect step before assigning more practice.

Next Practice

• Use New Numbers to practice the same skill with different values.
• If the learner needs help, return to the example and model each step before trying again.