EdPlace's Key Stage 1 Home Learning Maths Lesson: Finding Missing Numbers on a Number Line
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Get them started on the lesson below and then jump into our teacher-created activities to practice what they've learnt. We've recommended five to ensure they feel secure in their knowledge - 5-a-day helps keeps the learning loss at bay (or so we think!).
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Now...onto the lesson!
Solve Number Problems
Number lines are a useful way of representing numbers in Maths. They can help your child to count forwards and backwards, find an answer when calculating an addition or subtraction sum and can even be used to practice times tables. Sometimes, your child can be challenged to find the missing number on a number line, understanding how to tackle these problems will fill your child with confidence when approaching number work.
At EdPlace, we’re surrounded by a team of experts who communicate these concepts with children daily and we’re ready to share their teaching gems with you. We're confident that if you follow the step-by-step approach below your child will be able to:
1) Understand how to ask the right questions to find the missing number on a number line
2) Apply this understanding to describe the steps needed to crack the problem
3) Explain their answers back to you at the end (if they've really grasped it!)
Step 1: Key Terminology
Before we get going, it is crucial to check your child understands the important language we will use for this objective.
Addition: adding two or more numbers to find a total. Think of adding as ‘putting together.’
Subtraction: the ‘taking away’ of one number from another to make the original number smaller. Think of ‘subtracting’ as taking apart.
Number line: Number lines are a horizontal line that visually represent numbers. They are an especially useful way to demonstrate counting, place value and basic calculation skills.
Interval: The interval on a number line is the space between two numbers and includes any numbers that fall between those two numbers.
Step 2: Key Concepts
To tackle this lesson, your child will need a sound understanding of these key concepts.
Addition: Adding two or more given numbers together to find a total, we can call this the total sum of the numbers. Initially, your child will have been taught to add using concrete objects and will then have progressed onto using a number line.
Subtraction: Subtracting allows us to find the difference between two values. Remember to subtract the smallest number from the largest. Again, your child will have been taught to subtract using concrete objects and will then have progressed onto using a number line to count backwards.
Number line: The numbers on the left of a number line are smaller and as we move along the number line to the right, the numbers increase. If we want to add, we move to the right, if we wish to subtract, we move along to the left.
Step 3: Solve Incomplete Number Lines
When we are faced with a number line with missing numbers, we must ask ourselves 3 logical questions.
1) Which numbers have we been given?
2) Can we estimate (guess) the halfway point?
3) Can we calculate the difference between two intervals on the number line?
Look at this number line below and answer the above questions.
We have been given numbers 0, 1, 3, 4, 6.
The halfway point is 3 because 3 is half of 6 and the numbers range from 0-6.
We can see the intervals are increasing by 1 as 3 and 4 are next to one another.
What are the missing numbers? 2 and 5.
Let’s look at another example. Remember the 3 important questions:
1) Which numbers have we been given?
2) Can we estimate the halfway point?
3) Can we calculate the difference between two intervals on the number line?
Look at this number line below and answer the three questions.
We have been given numbers 20, 26, 30 and 40.
The halfway point is 30 because there is a difference of 20 between 20 and 40, 40 – 20 = 10. 20 + 10 = 30.
We can see the intervals are increasing by 2, we can use our knowledge of the 2 times table to check this.
Step 4 - Put Your Knowledge to the Test...
Now, have a go at finding the missing numbers on the number line.
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
Step 5 - Over to you
Brilliant effort covering all of this together! Now, why not challenge your child by assigning the following 5 activities in this order? Have them complete them in the order listed below. All activities are created by teachers and automatically marked.
Plus, with an EdPlace subscription, we can automatically progress your child at a level that's right for them. Sending you progress reports along the way so you can track and measure progress, together - brilliant!
Activity 1 - Using Number Lines (1)
Activity 2 - Using Number Lines (2)
Activity 3 - Using Number Lines (3)
Activity 4 - Using Number Lines (4)
Activity 5 - Write the Correct Number in the Hundred Square
Answers
1) The missing numbers in order are 14, 18, 19, 20, 24.
2) The missing numbers in order are 38, 39, 42, 45.
3) The missing numbers in order are 20, 50, 60, 80.
4) The missing numbers in order are 10, 25, 50.
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