Learning Addition before Other Forms of Arithmetic is optimal. Children from very early ages learn addition. We first teach them their age by counting on their fingers. From there they learn from examples. How many apples are in the fruit basket? At this time in development, children have made the connection of counting to visual objects, and to a degree to abstract ideas like age. Counting is a natural precursor to addition. 

 

What does Counting have to do with Addition Table? The following facts forge the relationship between counting, and Addition Table:

1. An Addition Table provides a visual representation of adding numbers.
2. Learn addition before subtraction because it is a more natural step from counting.
3. Multiplication is mathematical shorthand for addition it is not a good candidate to learn first.
4. Division is the reciprocal of multiplication so it is not a good candidate to learn first.

 

 Review the Basics of Addition. Let us review an addition example. Using an Addition Table, add three plus five and get an answer eight: 3 + 5 = 8. The intersection of row three and column five of an Addition Table is eight; eight is the answer. For children starting to learn addition, this is easy. They can use their fingers to solve the problem. It is also an excellent introduction to the Addition Table. The added benefit, the Addition Table is visual and reflects back to learning counting. Thus learning the number permutations of adding numbers one to nine is easy.

Where do we begin learning addition using the Addition Table?

1. First, get familiar with the table.
2. Start with adding by one. Start at row number one. Move to column number one. The intersection of row one and column one is the answer: two.
3. Repeat these steps for addition by one. Add row one by columns one through nine. The answers are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 respectively.
4. Repeat these steps for addition by two. Add row two by columns one through eight. The answers are 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 respectively.
5. Let us jump ahead. Repeat these steps for addition by seven. Add row seven by columns one through three. The answers are 8, 9, and 10 respectively.
6. Now let us increase the level of difficulty. Repeat these steps for addition by five. Add row five by columns one through twelve. The answers are 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 respectively.
7. If you are comfortable with addition so far, try a test. Solve the following addition problems in your head and then compare your answers to the Addition Table: add six and two, add nine and three, add one and eleven, add four and four, and add seven and two. The problem answers are 8, 12, 12, 8, and 9 respectively.

If you got four out of five problems correct, create your own addition tests. Calculate the answer in your head, and check your answer using the Addition Table.