Add or Take Away?
Choosing the right operation
The tricky part: deciding whether to add or take away! Read the story and look for clues.
ADD when…
things join, get more, altogether, in total
TAKE AWAY when…
things go, get eaten, fewer, how many left
To choose: add if things come together or you want the total; take away if things leave or you want what is left. Reading carefully and spotting clue words tells you which to do. This is the most important word-problem skill!