Which basic facts can efficiently be solved by these addition strategies?

Edward C. Rathmell
University of Northern Iowa

The zero generalization can be used to help students learn any basic fact where one of the parts is 0. That gives the students a quick way to solve 19 basic facts.

If students count on 1, 2, or 3 more, they can quickly solve basic facts where one of the parts is a 1, 2, or a 3. That gives the students a quick way to solve 45 additional basic fact problems.

Learning the doubles and using them to solve near double problems enables students to easily solve another 24 problems. Consequently, using the zero generalization, counting on, and using doubles can help children figure out any of 88 facts very quickly. If they practice using these strategies to speed up their thinking, they can respond to any of these facts in less than 3 seconds.

Learning to make ten gives the students an efficient way to solve most of the remaining basic addition facts. However, since there are only a few basic facts left, the real power of this strategy is to help students make sense of adding larger numbers, that is mental math, and to help them learn multiplication facts by starting with a known fact and adding on one more group. For example, 7 x 4 is 28, so 8 x 4 is just 4 more. 28 and 2 more is 30, then 2 more is 32.

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