New
New
Year 2

Calculate the difference

I can calculate the difference and find pairs that have the same difference.

New
New
Year 2

Calculate the difference

I can calculate the difference and find pairs that have the same difference.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When comparing numbers, we can look at the difference between them.
  2. The difference between two numbers has a value.
  3. The difference can be shown as a bar model.
  4. Difference can be calculated as subtraction.
  5. Different pairs of numbers can have the same difference.

Keywords

  • Difference - The result of subtracting one number from another. Way in which two or more things we are comparing are not the same.

  • Same - Way in which two or more things we are comparing are like each other.

  • Subtraction - To partition one part from another (the subtrahend from the difference), or to decrease an amount by taking an amount away.

Common misconception

Recording a subtraction to show difference incorrectly e.g. knowing that the difference between 4 and 6 is 2, but recording this as 4 - 6 = 2

Stress we can compare 6 to 4 or 4 to 6, but remind children that subtraction is not commutative so the whole (/ the larger number of those being compared) has to be written first in the expression. We can however change the position of the = symbol.

The use of lots of physical manipulatives (for example, number rods) enables children to explore difference without numerical value first. We can they attach numerical value (for example, with cubes) leading to an understanding of the abstract representation.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Use number facts to 10 to match the parts of the equation.
Correct Answer:10 − 7 =,3

3

Correct Answer:10 − 5 =,5

5

Correct Answer:10 − 2 =,8

8

Correct Answer:10 − 10 =,0

0

Correct Answer:10 − 8 =,2

2

Q2.
There are 3 _________ spiders than ladybirds
An image in a quiz
more
Correct answer: fewer
less
Q3.
Look at the image. Which numbers in the bar model represent the pens, pencils and difference?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:9,Number of pencils

Number of pencils

Correct Answer:4,Numbers of pens

Numbers of pens

Correct Answer:5,Difference between the number of pencils and the number of pens

Difference between the number of pencils and the number of pens

Q4.
What is the difference between the number of cubes shown?
An image in a quiz
3
Correct answer: 5
8
Q5.
What is the difference between the number of cubes shown?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 5
Q6.
The difference between 3 and 9 is
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 6

6 Questions

Q1.
Which equation has been written to find the difference between 7 and 3?
3 + 7 = ?
Correct answer: 7 - 3 = ?
3 - 7 = ?
Q2.
7 and 3 have a difference of
Correct Answer: 4
Q3.
Which equations represent the difference between the towers of cubes?
An image in a quiz
3 + 6 = 9
Correct answer: 6 − 3 = 3
Correct answer: 3 = 6 − 3
3 − 6 = 3
Q4.
Aisha used 7 coloured pencils for her artwork. Lucas used 4 How many more coloured pencils did Aisha use than Lucas? Aisha used more coloured pencils than Lucas.
Correct Answer: 3
Q5.
There are 4 children outside and 8 children inside. How many fewer children are outside than inside? There are fewer children outside than inside.
Correct Answer: 4
Q6.
Which pairs of numbers have a difference of 4?
Correct Answer:1,5

5

Correct Answer:2,6

6

Correct Answer:3,7

7

Correct Answer:4,8

8

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