Addition & Subtraction

I will be learning the basics of addition & subtraction in K1. Mummy has taught me some basics of doing addition quite some time ago. She taught me to use my fingers to do the counting.

Eg: 2 + 2 =?
I wld put up 2 fingers with my left hand first, then i wld put up another 2 fingers with my right hand. Then i wld count all fingers that are up, and the answer is 4.

Eg: 3 + 2 =?
Same thing. Using my left hand, i will put up 3 fingers, then another 2 fingers with my right hand. Then i wld count them and the answer is 5

Seems pretty simple but Mummy told me not all sums are as simple & straight-forward as these. There are more examples. Mummy used short stories to teach me.

Eg: Daddy has 2 apples. Mummy has 2 apples. How many apples do they have altogether? So how do i count?

Again, i used the fingers on my left hand showing 2 fingers ( daddy has 2 apples). then 2 fingers up on my right hand ( mummy has 2 apples). I counted. 1 2 3 4 .... altogether, they have 4 apples.

Eg: ah ma has 4 oranges. ah gong buy another 2. so how many oranges altogether. i was abit confused here. Why used the word 'another'? Mummy explain to me 'another' also means more = plus = add. So i showed her the counting method.

i showed 4 fingers on one hand & 2 fingers on another hand. i counted. 6 oranges.

The same goes for subtraction, except this time instead of adding, i wld have to minus = take away. Mummy showed me an example.

Eg: 1 have 3 apples. I eat 1 apple. how many do i have? So mummy taught me to show 3 fingers representing 3 apples first. "i eat 1 apple" - how to show? Mummy says to put down 1 finger. so i left with hw many fingers? i counted - 2

Mummy taught me a few times hw to do subtraction. Then she gave me an example & I counted myself.

Eg: I have 5 bananas. Vicky took 2 away. How many do i left? So mummy asked me how to count. First, i showed 5 fingers. ( cos i hv 5 bananas) Then Vicky took 2 away, so i closed 2 fingers & i told mummy i have 3 fingers; 3 bananas i mean, left.

Mummy also gave me the basic counting by asking: 4 - 2 = , 5 - 4 =, 3 - 1 =, 4 - 3 =, etc... I used my fingers to help me & i answered all correctly.

Here's the trick. how to count if the number starts with 6 or 7 or even 8? For 6, i have to show 5 fingers on 1 hand, then another thumb up on the other hand - something like a 'good' sign. I hv to remember that that is the number 6. So if it is addition, i have to use my remaining fingers that are closed to show. If it is subtraction, then i wld have to close the number of fingers accordingly to show.

eg: 6 + 2 =
So 6 fingers up plus another 2 more fingers = 8. Count: 6 , as i count 7, i put up 1 finger, then i count 8 i put up another finger. But its not easy cos i tend to get confused. I hv to remember that i must put up another 2 fingers ( becos plus 2 ma), then i also must know i hv already 6 fingers, so i must count the next number as 7 then 8.

eg: 7-3 =
So to show 7 , 5 fingers on 1 hand, then another 2 fingers on the other hand. Mummy says to use the thumb & index finger - letter L. This will represent 7. So i show 7 fingers, then closed 3 fingers, then count the remaining fngers that are up. = 4. Again i will get confused. Cos again i hv to remember i am showing 7 fingers, so for me to count backwards, 6.. 5.. 4 , i tend to mess up. i will count quietly 1..2 ..3 ..4 to tell myself what number comes next so that i can count backwards. Sometimes instead of saying 6..5..4, i will go 8..9..10 etc... but closing 1 finger as i count. Haha!

Then Mummy will say stop...i am counting the wrong way. Then we will start again. Mummy says the sch teacher will teach us more. Mummy wants me to know as least the basic so that i wont get confused when teh sch teacher teaches me.