The first step toward algebra.
Most math worksheets ask for the “Answer.” This worksheet asks for the “Question.” In missing addend problems (like 2 + ? = 5), students learn that numbers are flexible. They must “count on” or “work backward” to find the missing piece of the puzzle.
Why is this different?
- Critical Thinking: It breaks the habit of just adding everything up. Students must pause and analyze the relationship between the numbers.
- Goal Oriented: The “Total” is the goal. The student figures out what is needed to reach that goal.
- Visual Aid: Seeing the starting hand and the final hand makes the difference visually obvious, helping them grasp subtraction concepts intuitively.
How to Solve: Look at the first hand (Start). Look at the last hand (Total). How many more fingers do you need to add to the first hand to get the total? Write that number in the box.