Addition represents joining two quantities to find their combined amount, with the quantities as addends and the result as the sum. For whole-number situations within 20, this understanding connects joining contexts, part–part–whole diagrams, drawings, number lines, and equations such as , while distinguishing each part from the total and interpreting the equal sign as “has the same value as.” Larger-number generalizations, negative numbers, and formal algebraic treatment are not included.
When you join two groups, you put them together to find how many there are altogether. This is addition.
Example: Mia has 7 crayons. She gets 5 more crayons. How many crayons does she have now?
Find the two parts.
Join the groups.
Count all the crayons:
🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️ + 🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️
Write an addition equation.
The numbers being joined are called addends:
Find the sum.
The answer, , is called the sum. It tells how many crayons there are altogether.
You can also start at 7 on a number line and count forward 5 steps: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
The equal sign means “has the same value as.” So, has the same value as .
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