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10 More or 10 Less

Mentally find 10 more or 10 less than a given two-digit number without counting

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What a learner can do afterwards

  • Given 56, quickly say 66 is 10 more and 46 is 10 less
  • Explain that adding 10 increases the tens digit by 1
  • Answer '10 more than 73' without using fingers or counting on

The lesson

Every two-digit number has a tens digit and a ones digit. When you add 10, the tens digit goes up by one. The ones digit never changes. Taking away 10 works the same way, but the tens digit goes down by one.

40506070+10+10
Hop by 10s: 46, then 56, then 66. The ones digit stays 6 every time.
Try it together

Ravi has 34 marbles. His uncle gives him 10 more. Ravi does not count one by one. He looks at the tens digit, 3, and makes it 4. The ones digit 4 stays the same. Ravi now has 44 marbles.

Good to know

To find 10 more or 10 less fast, cover the ones digit with your finger. Change only the tens digit. Then uncover the ones digit. It never moved.

10 more or 10 less only changes the tens digit; the ones digit always stays the same.

Watch it

Where it sits

Where this leads

Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.

Then practise

8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.

10 More or 10 Less · Mathematics, ages 6 to 7 · LightMySky