Year 6 Week 3 Lesson 1

Main Focus Prior Knowledge Key Vocabulary Curriculum Objectives

Express missing number
problems algebraically (one
unknown)
Solve missing number
problems in addition,
subtraction, multiplication and
division
equation; solve; calculation;
represent
N5.4B Introduce BIDMAS (order of operations) for +, -, ×, ÷
only
N6.8A Use formal algebraic notation to express missing
number problems
N6.8H Be able to substitute values into simple algebraic
expressions

Teaching Summary
Starter
Multiplying by 10, 100, 1000
Draw on the whiteboard a 3×4 grid (three rows of four columns). Students draw the same grid on their whiteboards. Tell students that you will write a number in
each space along the top row and they must write each number multiplied by 10. For example: you write 3·75 and they write 37·5. Say that they need to keep up
with you! Write 3·75, 0·52, 1·09 and 13·125 along the top row. Now explain that you will follow the same process along the second row, but this time they will
multiply each number by 100. Write 7·84, 0·31, 0·025 and 1·007 along the second row. Now explain that you will follow the same process along the third row, but
this time they will multiply each number by 1000. Write 0·375, 2·6, 50·05 and 102·92 along the third row. Check each answer with the students.
Main Teaching
• Write 34 + 🖵 = 79 on the whiteboard and ask students to read the sentence aloud together. Some students may say: Thirty-four plus box equals seventy-
nine. Some may say: Thirty-four add something equals seventy-nine. Point out that they will need to add a missing number to 34 to get 79.
• Discuss how to find the missing number and agree that 34 can be subtracted from 79 to find it. They can do this by counting up (34 + 6 + 39) or by taking
away (79 – 30 – 4), but both methods result in 45, so the missing number is 45.
• Underneath this, write 34 + a = 79 on the whiteboard. Point out that the letter a stands for the missing number in the same way that 🖵 did and that they now
know that the letter a stands for 45, so they could write a = 45.
• Explain that 34 + a = 79 is called an equation and that, when students write a = 45, they have solved the equation.
Short Task
Students work in pairs to solve the next equation: 12 + a = 80. Ask: What value must a have? What number must a represent?
Teaching
• Ask students what a is equal to and discuss how they worked this out. Did they realise that they needed to subtract 12 from 80? 80 – 12 = 68 so
12 + 68 = 80. This means that a represents the number 68. so a = 68. Say that, in this equation, a has a value of 68.
• Write 14 – b = 9 and 35 ÷ b = 7 on the whiteboard. Point out that this time it is the letter b that is the empty box. Say: b stands for a number. What value
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 does b have?

Short Task
Divide the class in half. One half of the class solves 14 – b = 9 and the other half solves 35 ÷ b = 7. Students work individually or in pairs as they choose. Support
any students who need it.
Teaching
• Take feedback and encourage each half of the class to explain how they solved the equation. For example: To solve 14 – b = 9, students took 9 away from
14, and to solve 35 ÷ b = 7, students divided 7 into 35. In both cases, b turned out to have a value of 5.
• Ask students to write an equation with b in it, where b has a value of 5.
• Take students’ suggested equations. For example: b + 5 = 10, 20 – b = 15 or 60 ÷ 12 = b. Point out that b can be placed anywhere in the sentence. It can be
at the start, such as in b – 4 = 1; in the middle, such as in 4 × b = 20; or at the end, such as in 7 – 2 = b.
• Point out that an equation may involve any operation: addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.
• Write on the whiteboard the final equation c + 15 + c = 23. This time the letter used to represent the missing number is c. Point out that the missing number
occurs twice.
• Ask students how think they can find out what it is and agree that they will need to take 15 away from 23. 23 – 15 = 8, which tells us that the c + c must be
equal to 8. Write c + c = 8 on the whiteboard. Ask: What must c be equal to? (c = 4) Try substituting 4 for c in the equation on the whiteboard: c + 15 + c = 23
and 4 + 15 + 4 = 23, so c = 4 is correct.
Key Questions
• How do you find the missing number in a number sentence?
• As well as a box, what can you use to represent a missing number? (A letter.)
• Can a letter occur twice in an equation?
Watch out for
• Students who cannot solve simpler missing number problems with a box representing the missing number
• Students who are careless and make arithmetic errors
• Students who use the wrong operation, then do not check to see that their answer makes sense

Main Activity
Core
Find the missing number
Students work in pairs on GP 6.3.1. They should attempt each question and then discuss their answers together before moving on to the next question. They
should try to get as far as question 12 and, if possible, work with their partner to have a go at questions 13 and 14.
Support
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Find the missing number
Work with students on GP 6.3.1, taking each question in turn and discussing what we need to do to find the missing number. Together, rewrite each equation with
a box instead of the letter if this helps. For example: 15 – b = 11 is the same as 15 – 🖵 = 11. Use number cards (made from RS 2 Number cards 0-20, RS 108
Number cards 21-40, RS 109 Number cards 41-60, RS 110 Number cards 61-80 and RS 111 Number cards 81-100) to try placing in the box when students think
they have an idea of what the missing number might be. When they choose a number to place in the box, they should check that it makes sense by working out
the equation. Assist them in trying to get as far as question 10.
Assessment Focus
• Can students choose the correct operation to work out the value of a letter in a number sentence?
• Can students check that their answer makes sense?
Extend
Find the missing number
Students work through question 2 to question 15 on GP 6.3.1. They can then make up their own ʻletterʼ number sentences for their partner to work out.
Further Support
Practise missing number sentences in relation to addition and subtraction to build up confidence. This can be done using a missing number box in the equation
and using number cards (made from RS 2 Number cards 0-20, RS 108 Number cards 21-40, RS 109 Number cards 41-60, RS 110 Number cards 61-80 and RS
111 Number cards 81-100) that students can try placing inside the box. They could then move on to this type of problem with multiplication and division. Having
worked out what they think a missing number is, students should always check that what they have put will give the correct answer. For example: when solving
34 + 🖵 = 52, if they add instead of subtracting they should check and find that 34 + 86 does not equal the original answer of 52.

Plenary
Discuss with students how to solve equations of the form 45 + c = 60. (Subtract 45 from 60.) Point out that the equation was an addition sentence and that it was
solved using subtraction. Remind students that addition and subtraction are inverse operations: subtraction undoes addition. Ask students how to solve equations
of the form 3 × c = 30. (Divide 30 by 3.) Point out that the equation was a multiplication sentence and it was solved using division. Remind students that
multiplication and division are inverse operations and that division undoes multiplication. Sometimes, when solving missing number equations, students will need
to use the inverse operation to solve the equations.

Additional Activity
Students can have a go at the additional activity Plenty of Pens from the NRICH website.
Linked with kind permission of NRICH, nrich.maths.org

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Resources
Physical Resources Photocopiable Resources
• Whiteboards • GP 6.3.1
• RS 2 Number cards 0-20
• RS 108 Number cards 21-40
• RS 109 Number cards 41-60
• RS 110 Number cards 61-80
• RS 111 Number cards 81-100

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Year 6 Week 3 Lesson 2
Main Focus
Find pairs of numbers that
satisfy equations involving two
unknowns
Prior Knowledge
Solve missing number
problems using inverse
operations
Key Vocabulary
equation; solve; calculation;
represent; remainder
Curriculum Objectives
N6.8D Solve equations with two unknowns
N6.8H Be able to substitute values into simple algebraic
expressions

Teaching Summary
Starter
Divide by 10, 100, 1000
Draw three operations on the whiteboard : ÷ 10 , ÷ 100 and ÷ 1000 . Divide the class into three teams. Explain that Team A will divide by 10, Team B will divide by
100 and Team C will divide by 1000. Draw a place-value grid (7 columns with the headings: 1000s, 100s, 10s, 1s, 0.1s, 0.01s, 0.001s) and write 349 in this grid.
Each student divides by their teamʼs given number and writes the answer on their whiteboard, so Team A should all write 34·9, Team B should all write 3·49 and
Team C should all write 0·349. Remind students not to show students in the opposing teams their whiteboards as this could give them help. Say: one, two, three,
show me! Students in each team in turn show you their whiteboards. If almost all the students in a team have written it correctly, the team scores one point. If all
students in a team have written it correctly, the team scores two points. After checking the studentsʼ whiteboards, show how to divide the number by 10, by 100
and by 1000 by working out the answer with the students. Repeat this activity with the numbers: 638, 2895, 54, 31, 7 and 100·6. Check each set of answers in
turn and award points.
Main Teaching
Write 4 + c + c = 20 on the whiteboard. Agree that the letter c represents a missing number in the sentence. Discuss how to find the value of c: 20 – 4 = 16, so
c + c must be 16. That means that c = 8, which is half of 16.
Short Task
Write 40 – a – a = 14 on the whiteboard. Ask students to work in pairs to solve this.
Teaching
• Take feedback and agree that a = 13.
• Write a + b + 19 = 28 on the whiteboard. Ask students to read this sentence with you. Point out that it is a number sentence with two letters. Each letter is a
missing number box, but the numbers in each box are different. The letter a stands for one number and the letter b stands for another number.
• Discuss how to solve it. Point out that if they subtract 19 from 28, they will know what the two letters add up to. Agree that 28 – 19 is 9 and write 9 + 19 = 28
below the first equation. Show that a + b must equal 9.
• Discuss what two numbers add to 9. Ask students to suggest pairs of numbers that a and b could be. List these: 4 + 5, 6 + 3, 7 + 2, 8 + 1 and 9 + 0. Explain
that they cannot be sure which of these pairs is correct. Any of these would work. So a and b could represent any of these pairs.
• Write a × b = 14 on the whiteboard. Say that another thing that they know about a and b is that their product is 14. Ask students to look again at the pairs we
listed. Ask: Which pair has a product of 14? Agree that a and b must be 2 and 7. Try placing these in the first equation: 2 + 7 + 19 = 28. It works, so a and b
are 2 and 7 or 7 and 2.
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• Write 16 – m – n = 10 on the whiteboard.
Short Task
Ask students to work in pairs to solve the last equation. Remind them that they need to discover what is left when they subtract 10 from 16. That will be what m
and n add up to.
Teaching
• Take feedback and agree that m + n = 6. Ask: What numbers could they be? (2 + 4, 1 + 5 or 0 + 6.) Now write m – n = 4 on the whiteboard. Say: This gives
you another piece of information. Look again at the pairs you found. In which of these do the numbers have a difference of 4? (5 – 1 = 4) Say: This time, you
know which number is m and which number is n since m – n must be 5 – 1, so m = 5 and n = 1.
• Point out that, when solving an equation with two unknown numbers (two letters), students will always need a bit of extra information to find out exactly which
pair of numbers it is.
• Finally, write 24 ÷ c = d + 1 on the whiteboard. Read this together. Remind students that both sides of the equals sign must be the same value and that, in
this example, c and d stand for whole numbers. Ask: What could c be? (Any of the factors of 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24.) Ask: If c = 2, what must d be? (24
÷ 2 = 12, so d + 1 = 12 and d = 11.) Repeat this with c = 3, 4, 6 and 8.
Key Questions
• How do students discover what one missing number is?
• If there are two missing numbers in a sentence, what can students do to discover what pairs of numbers they could be?
Watch out for
• Students who cannot solve simpler missing number problems with a box representing the missing number
• Students who are careless and make arithmetic errors
• Students who do not know where to start where there are numbers and unknowns on both sides of the equals sign

Main Activity
Core
Y6 TB1 p27 Missing number problems
Linked Resources: Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33
Support
Y6 TB1 p26 Missing number problems
Linked Resources: Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33
Extend
Solving equations
Ask students to solve the first three equations on RS 883 Find the missing values, then share together the ways of doing these. (Answers are on RS 883 Find the
missing values (Answers).) What method did students use to find the possible pairs of numbers to fit each equation? How many different solutions did they find?
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Then look at question 4 together. Ask: What whole number values could m have? Work out all the possible solutions as a group. Together, read question 5. Agree
that this means that students need to try some different numbers. Ask: What numbers would it be silly to try? (e cannot be 1 as 5 is smaller than f + 10, and e also
cannot be 0.) Discuss what anything times 0 is. Ask: What would happen if e were 2? If e were 3? Agree that there are an infinite number of pairs that would fit
this equation from e = 2 upwards. Ask: What else do you know? (e + f = 8) Explain that this limits the possibilities so students can now find the solution. Ask them
to work in pairs to try different numbers in the first equation given in question 6. When they have several pairs, students can look at the second equation and see
which pair fits this.
Challenge students to write their own equation with two unknowns where there are a limited number of possible solutions. Explain that they are easier to write if
you have a number in your head for the first letter and design the second part so that the second letter will also be a whole number.
Assessment Focus
• Can students find pairs of numbers which fit number sentences with two unknowns?
• Can students solve number sentences with two unknowns if they are given more information to help them?
Further Support
Students can use number cards (made from RS 2 Number cards 0-20, RS 108 Number cards 21-40, RS 109 Number cards 41-60, RS 110 Number cards 61-80
and RS 111 Number cards 81-100) and try these out in the equations. This will help them to see what has to be done before they can see what possible pairs of
numbers will fit the equation. Always check that what students have put as the missing number will give the correct answer.

Plenary
Write a × 2 = b + 6 and explain that a and b are positive whole numbers. Discuss with students how they may work this out. The best way is to try out some pairs
of numbers, but students can be sensible about this. Ask students if a could be 1. Ask: Why not? Could a be 2? Why not? Could a be 3? Agree that it could, but
only if b is 0. This means that the first pair of possible numbers is a = 3, b = 0. Could a be 4? Agree that if a is 4, then b = 2. Ask: Could a be 5? Students should
by now see that there can be an infinite number of possible pairs. We need more information to help us solve this. Write a + b = 15 on the whiteboard. Ask: If both
of these number sentences are true, what are the values of a and b?

Resources
Physical Resources Photocopiable Resources
• Whiteboards • RS 2 Number cards 0-20
• Y6 TB1 • RS 108 Number cards 21-40
• RS 109 Number cards 41-60
• RS 110 Number cards 61-80
• RS 111 Number cards 81-100
• RS 883 Find the missing values
• RS 883 Find the missing values (Answers)
• Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33

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Year 6 Week 3 Lesson 3
Main Focus
Use trial and improvement to
solve equations involving two
unknowns and find missing
lengths and angles
Prior Knowledge
Solve missing number
equations where a box or a
letter is used to represent the
missing number
Key Vocabulary
equation; solve; calculation;
represent; perimeter; angle
Curriculum Objectives
N6.8A Use formal algebraic notation to express missing
number problems
N6.8D Solve equations with two unknowns
N6.8H Be able to substitute values into simple algebraic
expressions
G6.1F Find perimeters of regular and irregular polygons by
measuring and by calculating
G6.1I Solve perimeter and area problems involving rectangles,
squares and triangles
G6.2A Know that angles on a straight line add to 180° and find
one missing angle on a straight line; recognise that angles
where they meet at a point are on a straight line and use this to
find missing angles; recognise vertically opposite angles
G6.2C Know that angles inside a triangle add up to 180° and
angles in a quadrilateral add to 360° and find unknown angles
using this knowledge
G6.2D Use the properties of rectangles to find missing lengths
G6.2K Estimate the size of angles

Teaching Summary
Starter
Times-tables duel
Choose four pairs of students. Each pair stands back to back at the front of the class. Ask different sections of the class to watch each pair carefully! You will ask
a times-table question, such as six times seven, and the first student in each pair to say 42 has won the duel. The other student goes back to join the class and
chooses another student to take their place. Repeat the process, saying seven times four. The first student in each pair to say 28 wins the duel. The other student
sits back down and sends another student who has not had a turn to take their place. Continue playing like this until everyone in the class has had a turn. Ask less
straightforward times-table questions. Which student lasts the longest?
Main Teaching

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• Write a + b + 32 = 39 on the whiteboard. Discuss how to work out the possible pairs of numbers that a and b could be. Agree that students need to subtract
32 from 39 and write 7 + 32 = 39 below the first equation. Agree that a + b = 7, so a and b could be 3 and 4, 2 and 5, 1 and 6 or 7 and 0. Be prepared for
some pairs with negative numbers too, such as –1 and 8, but explain that students should only use positive numbers today.
• Write c × d = c + d + 5 on the whiteboard. Discuss how students could set about solving this, saying that c and d are positive whole numbers. Point out that
students do not have any numbers to juggle or play with, so they have to try some (sensible!) numbers. Ask: Could either c or d be equal to 0? (No.) Ask:
Why not? Agree that if c or d were 0, then c × d would = 0, and that c + d + 5 has to be more than 0.
• Draw students’ attention to the right-hand side of the equation: c + d + 5. What is the minimum total that this could be? If c = 1 and d = 2, c + d = 3 and the
total would be 8. However, on the left-hand side of the equation, c × d would then be equal to 3, which is not equal to 8. Explain that students will need to try
out different numbers greater than 1.
Short Task
Students try out different pairs of numbers to see if they can find a pair that work.
Teaching
• Take feedback and discuss. Say that it helps to draw a table, because then students can try out different possibilities for a and b. Draw the following table on
the whiteboard.

• It is clear that 3 and 4 work as a pair, so either c = 3 and d = 4 or c = 4 and d = 3. Do students know if any other pairs would work? Point out that 4 and 5
gave 20 for c × d and only 14 for c + d + 5, whereas 5 and 6 gave 30 for c × d and only 16 for c + d + 5. This means that the gap between c × d and c + d + 5
is getting larger, and that only 3 and 4 work as a pair. Emphasise that sometimes using a table helps.
• Draw a rectangle on the whiteboard, labelling the longer side e and the shorter side f. Write the following problem on the whiteboard: What length is e in cm?
What length is f in cm? Discuss what the students know. (The perimeter is 22 cm.) Ask: What do you mean by ‘the perimeter’? (The distance around the
rectangle.) Ask students how they find the perimeter. (By adding all four sides.) Point out that half of the perimeter (two sides) would be half of 22 cm, so two
sides would add to 11 cm.
• Ask students to write a number sentence with e and f in it for half the perimeter. Give them a minute to do this and then model e + f = 11 cm. Ask: What are
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 the possible pairs for e and f? (10 and 1, 9 and 2, 8 and 3, 7 and 4 or 6 and 5.) A length cannot be 0 cm, so 11 and 0 is not a possible pair. Point out that the
area of the rectangle is 28 cm2. Remind students how the area of a rectangle is found. If e is 7 and f is 4, does this work? (7 × 4 = 28.) Show that e = 7 and f
= 4 will fit both number sentences.

• Draw the following set of angles on the whiteboard and ask: Angles g and h are both multiples of 10. What could they be?

• Demonstrate how to find the possible pairs of angles that g and h could be. Explain that the angles on a straight line must add up to 180°. (Angles g and h
could be 10° and 60°, 20° and 50°, and so on.)
• Write the problem j × k ÷ 2 = j + k on the whiteboard. Do not solve this problem, but remind students that they can draw a table to help them. Model drawing
the table but do not complete it.

Checkpoint
Use the following questions to assess understanding of the following outcomes. You can use them in this lesson or at another time in the day that suits you.
• Use letters to represent missing numbers in number sentences
• Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns
• Enumerate possibilities of combinations of two variables
Ask the students:
1) Find the missing letters in these number sentences:
a) a – 65 = 90 b) 2b + 3 = 35 c) 7 + 12 + c = 40 d) d ÷ 9 = 8
2) If e + 21 – f = 43, find at least three pairs of whole numbers that e and f could be.
3) In a triangle, Angle x is 72°. Write an equation showing how to find the other two angles, y and z. If y is 10°more than z, what numbers are represented by
y and z?

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4) Write a similar equation for a quadrilateral that has one right angle.

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Main Activity
Core
Missing numbers carousel
Put students into four mixed-ability groups for a carousel activity in which they spend six minutes at each table. Use a timer to give a one-minute warning. Work at
Table 1.
• Table 1: Place RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (answers on RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (Answers)) so that students can see the
number sentences. Explain that it will be useful to draw a table to solve these number sentences. Discuss what table students could draw for the first number
sentence. (Column headings a × b and 3 + a + b.) Ask: What numbers can you try? What numbers would it be silly to try? (Less than 2 and 3.) Support
students as they use trial and improvement. If time, repeat the process for the other number sentence.
• Table 2: Each student has RS 885 Carousel, Table 2. Students work out the lengths of the sides of the rectangle, remembering to think about what half of
the perimeter is to help them. They think of possible pairs of numbers and try these to make the area work. (The two sides will need to add to 16 and multiply
to give 48.) When they have worked out the lengths of the sides, they can use this information to find the values of c and d.
• Table 3: Each pair has RS 886 Carousel activity 3: Missing angles. Pairs find missing angles around a point, on a straight line and inside a triangle.
• Table 4: Students work in pairs or individually to solve the missing number problems on RS 927 Carousel activity 4: Missing number problems.
Assessment Focus
• Can students make sensible choices when using trial and improvement to solve equations with two unknowns?
• Can students find pairs of numbers that fit equations with two unknowns?
Support
Missing numbers carousel
Put students into four mixed-ability groups for a carousel activity in which they spend six minutes at each table. Use a timer to give a one-minute warning. Work at
Table 1.
• Table 1: Place RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (answers on RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (Answers)) so that students can see the
number sentences. Explain that it will be useful to draw a table to solve these number sentences. Discuss what table students could draw for the first number
sentence. (Column headings a × b and 3 + a + b.) Ask: What numbers can you try? What numbers would it be silly to try? (Less than 2 and 3.) Support
students as they use trial and improvement. If time, repeat the process for the other number sentence.
• Table 2: Each student has RS 885 Carousel, Table 2. Students work out the lengths of the sides of the rectangle, remembering to think about what half of
the perimeter is to help them. They think of possible pairs of numbers and try these to make the area work. (The two sides will need to add to 16 and multiply
to give 48.) When they have worked out the lengths of the sides, students can use this to find the values of c and d.
• Table 3: Each pair has RS 886 Carousel activity 3: Missing angles. Pairs find missing angles around a point, on a straight line and inside a triangle.
• Table 4: Students work in pairs or individually to solve the missing number problems on RS 927 Carousel activity 4: Missing number problems.
Assessment Focus
• Can students make sensible choices when using trial and improvement to solve equations with two unknowns?
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• Can students find pairs of numbers that fit equations with two unknowns?
Extend
Missing numbers carousel
Put students into four mixed-ability groups for a carousel activity in which they spend six minutes at each table. Use a timer to give a one-minute warning. Work at
Table 1.
• Table 1: Place RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (answers on RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (Answers)) so that students can see the
number sentences. Explain that it will be useful to draw a table to solve these number sentences. Discuss what table students could draw for the first number
sentence. (Column headings a × b and 3 + a + b.) Ask: What numbers can you try? What numbers would it be silly to try? (Less than 2 and 3.) Support
students as they use trial and improvement. If time, repeat the process for the other number sentence.
• Table 2: Each student has RS 885 Carousel, Table 2. Students work out the lengths of the sides of the rectangle, remembering to think about what half of
the perimeter is to help them. They think of possible pairs of numbers and try these to make the area work. (The two sides will need to add to 16 and multiply
to give 48.) When they have worked out the lengths of the sides, students can use this to find the values of c and d.
• Table 3: Each pair has RS 886 Carousel activity 3: Missing angles. Pairs find missing angles around a point, on a straight line and inside a triangle.
• Table 4: Students work in pairs or individually to solve the missing number problems on RS 927 Carousel activity 4: Missing number problems.
Assessment Focus
• Can students make sensible choices when using trial and improvement to solve equations with two unknowns?
• Can students find pairs of numbers that fit equations with two unknowns?
Further Support
Help students by encouraging them to use a table to write down possibilities and to use sticky notes to try out different numbers. Support them in keeping a
careful record of the numbers they have tried out.

Plenary
Write a + b = b + a on the whiteboard. Ask: Try different pairs of numbers. Does this always work? Explain that it does because addition can be done any way
around. Adding two numbers results in the same answer, no matter which way around the numbers are written. Write a – b = b – a on the whiteboard and ask
students to try this out. This does not work unless a and b are the same number, such as 4 – 4 = 4 – 4. It does matter which way around a subtraction sentence is
written. Repeat this for a × b = b × a and agree that it does not matter which way around a multiplication sentence is written. Finally look at a ÷ b = b ÷ a and agree
that this only works if a = b, so it does matter which way round a division sentence is written. Sometimes letters can be used to show something that is always
true, such as a + b = b + a and a × b = b × a .

Resources
Physical Resources Photocopiable Resources
• Timer • RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables
• Sticky notes • RS 884 Carousel activity 1: Equation tables (Answers)
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• RS 885 Carousel, Table 2
• RS 886 Carousel activity 3: Missing angles
• RS 927 Carousel activity 4: Missing number problems

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Year 6 Week 3 Lesson 4
Main Focus
Understand how brackets can
be used in calculation
problems, use knowledge of
the order of operations to
carry out calculations
involving the four operations
and solve problems involving
addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division
Prior Knowledge
Solve one-step problems in
addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division
Key Vocabulary
brackets; calculation;
multiplication; division;
addition; subtraction
Curriculum Objectives
N5.4B Introduce BIDMAS (order of operations) for +, -, ×, ÷
only
N6.2A Add and subtract positive integers of any size up to and
including 1 000 000 using mental or formal written methods of
column addition and subtraction, where appropriate
N6.4E Use priority of operations for calculations including
simple powers and brackets
N6.8G Simplify expressions, by collecting like terms or
expanding those involving brackets

Teaching Summary
Starter
Number bonds to 100
Remind students how to work out bonds to 100 really quickly: add to the next 10 and then to 100. For example: 36, add 4 (40) and then 60 more to make 64.
Model this on the whiteboard.
Throw a bean bag to a student while saying a 2-digit number, such as 46. They respond by throwing the bean bag back to you as they say the bond to 100, such
as 54. If they are too slow or say the wrong number, they stand up. Keep throwing the bean bag to different students as fast as you can, keeping up a good pace.
Sometimes throw the bag to a standing student, making the bond easier, such as saying 35 or 60. Make sure everyone has a turn.
Main Teaching
Write (3 × 4) + 16 = 🖵 on the whiteboard. Point out to students that this is a calculation that uses brackets. Explain that brackets tell students which part of the
calculation they do first. Say: It is very important that you do the part in the brackets first.
Short Task
Students work in pairs to solve the part in the brackets and then to compete the calculation. They write their answers on whiteboards.
Teaching
• Discuss how students found the answer. (3 × 4 is 12 and then add 16, which makes a total of 28.)
• Remind students that the brackets show which part of the calculation they need to do first.
• Write 3 × (4 + 16) = 🖵 on the whiteboard. Remind students that the brackets show which part of the calculation they need to do first.
Short Task
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Students work in pairs to solve the part in the brackets and then to compete the calculation. Students write their answers on whiteboards.
Teaching
• Check students’ answers. (4 + 16 is 20 then 3 × 20 is 60.)
• Write 3 × 4 + 16 = 🖵 on the whiteboard. Point out that this calculation is the same as the first and second calculations that students did, but without the
brackets. Ask: How would you know which part to do first if there were no brackets? Emphasise that it does make a difference if students do 3 × 4 first or 4 +
16 first, so having brackets is helpful.
• Explain that there is a rule to follow if there are no brackets: do multiplication or division before addition or subtraction. Note that, generally, most students
will find multiplication and division more difficult than addition and subtraction, so it may help to say that they do the harder parts (multiplication and division)
of the calculation first. Allow students time to complete the calculation before discussing the answer.
• Write 6 + 13 × 4 = 🖵 on the whiteboard and point out that, again, there are no brackets. Remind students that they will do any multiplication or division before
they will do addition and subtraction.
Short Task
Students work in pairs to solve the calculation and write it on their whiteboards.
Teaching
• Check students’ answers. (They should have done multiplication first, so 13 × 4 = 52, then the addition, so 6 + 52 is 58.
• Write 45 ÷ 5 + 4 = 🖵 and 45 ÷ (5 + 4) = 🖵 on the whiteboard. Point out that these two calculations have the same numbers, but one has brackets. Ask: What
do brackets tell us? (Which part of the calculation to do first.)
Short Task
Half of the class solves 45 ÷ 5 + 4 = 🖵. Half of the class solves 45 ÷ (5 + 4) = 🖵. Each student writes their answer on their whiteboard.
Teaching
Ask one half of the class to show their boards on a one, two, three, show me! Then ask the second half to do the same. The two answers are different! Explain
that it is because in the calculation without the brackets the multiplication is done first, but in the calculation with the brackets the brackets are done first.
Checkpoint
Use the following questions to assess understanding of the following outcomes. You can use them in this lesson or at another time in the day that suits you.
• Use knowledge of the order of operations and brackets to carry out multi-step calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Ask the students:
1) Work out these calculations:
a) 25 – 3 × 2 = 🖵 b) (30 + 18) ÷ 6 = 🖵 c) 100 ÷ 5 – 3 = 🖵 d) 7 + 4 × 4 -3 = 🖵 e) 72 ÷ (12 – 3) = 🖵
f) 84 ÷ 7 – 3 = 🖵
2) Add one or more pairs of brackets to the following calculation to give the largest possible answer: 14 + 23 × 10 – 16 ÷ 2 = 🖵.
3) Write at least five different number sentences. In each number sentence, use the numbers 4,5, 6 and 8 once each and use one multiplication, one
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 addition, one subtraction and one pair of brackets.
4) Write a calculation using the rules in question 3 to give the largest possible answer.

Main Activity
Core
Using brackets
In pairs or individually, students work through Y6 TB1 p29 (Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33), exploring what difference brackets make to the answers of different
calculations.
Move around and work with different groups, supporting different pairs of students or individual students in seeing how the brackets make a difference to the
answers. If the brackets enclose an addition or subtraction, the answer will be different to when there are no brackets. If the brackets are around a multiplication or
division, the answer is the same as if there were no brackets. The order in which the numbers are presented makes no difference. For example: 4 + 5 × 7 gives
the same answer as 5 × 7 + 4 unless brackets are put around the addition, in which case (4 + 5) × 7 gives a different answer to 5 × (7 + 4). Encourage students to
express different ʻrulesʼ and give opinions about why certain things make a difference to the answer and others do not.
Assessment Focus
• Can students use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division?
• Can students use brackets in calculations correctly?
Support
Using brackets
In pairs or individually, students work through Y6 TB1 p29 (Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33), exploring what difference brackets make to the answers of different
calculations.
Move around and work with different groups, supporting different pairs of students or individual students in seeing how the brackets make a difference to the
answers. If the brackets enclose an addition or subtraction, the answer will be different to when there are no brackets. If the brackets are around a multiplication or
division, the answer is the same as if there were no brackets. The order in which the numbers are presented makes no difference. For example: 4 + 5 × 7 gives
the same answer as 5 × 7 + 4 unless brackets are put around the addition, in which case (4 + 5) × 7 gives a different answer to 5 × (7 + 4). Encourage students to
express different ʻrulesʼ and give opinions about why certain things make a difference to the answer and others do not.
Support this group by using RS 888 Investigating using brackets in a calculation to show them how to generate, complete and compare calculations with brackets
in different places.
Assessment Focus
• Can students use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division?
• Can students use brackets in calculations correctly?
Extend

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Using brackets
In pairs or individually, students work through Y6 TB1 p29 (Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33), exploring what difference brackets make to the answers of different
calculations.
Move around and work with different groups, supporting different pairs of students or individual students in seeing how the brackets make a difference to the
answers. If the brackets enclose an addition or subtraction, the answer will be different to when there are no brackets. If the brackets are around a multiplication or
division, the answer is the same as if there were no brackets. The order in which the numbers are presented makes no difference. For example: 4 + 5 × 7 gives
the same answer as 5 × 7 + 4 unless brackets are put around the addition, in which case (4 + 5) × 7 gives a different answer to 5 × (7 + 4). Encourage students to
express different ʻrulesʼ and give opinions about why certain things make a difference to the answer and others do not.
Assessment Focus
• Can students use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division?
• Can students use brackets in calculations correctly?
Further Support
Make sure that the calculations contain ʻfriendlyʼ numbers so that the focus is on the order of operations and not on the arithmetic.

Plenary
Take feedback following the investigation. Ask: When do the brackets change the answer in comparison with when there were no brackets? (When the brackets
enclose the addition or subtraction part of the calculation.) Point out that the order of the numbers and operations makes no difference if there are no brackets.
Multiplication and division are done first, unless there are brackets, in which case the brackets are done first.

Resources
Physical Resources Photocopiable Resources
• Bean bag • RS 888 Investigating using brackets in a calculation
• Y6 TB1 • Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33

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Year 6 Week 3 Lesson 5
Main Focus
Solve addition and subtraction
multi-step problems in
contexts, deciding which
operations and methods to
use and why and use
knowledge of the order of
operations to solve problems
involving addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division
Prior Knowledge
Understand and use methods
to solve the four operations,
understand brackets and the
order of operations
Key Vocabulary
brackets; calculation;
multiplication; division;
addition; subtraction; problem;
operation
Curriculum Objectives
N5.4B Introduce BIDMAS (order of operations) for +, -, ×, ÷
only
N6.4E Use priority of operations for calculations including
simple powers and brackets
N6.5L Solve missing number, fraction and decimal problems
N6.8G Simplify expressions, by collecting like terms or
expanding those involving brackets

Teaching Summary
Starter
24-hour clock
Say a time of day using the 24-hour clock, such as seventeen hundred, and write it on the whiteboard: 17:00. On their whiteboards, students draw a clock and
draw the hands on it to show the time you have said and written, writing am or pm alongside their clock as appropriate. On a one, two, three, show me!, they show
you their whiteboards. Say the following times, checking students’ drawings of each one: seventeen hundred (17:00), fifteen hundred (15:00), nine forty-five
(9:45), sixteen fifteen (16:15), twelve fifty (12:50), thirteen hundred (13:00), twenty fifteen (20:15), and twenty-one forty (21:40). Check students’ answers.
Main Teaching
• Write 45 – 16 ÷ 4 on the whiteboard and ask students to solve it. Take feedback. Ask: Which part should you do first? (The division.) Remind students that
multiplication or division are done before addition or subtraction, so 16 ÷ 4 = 4 and 45 – 4 is 41. Agree that the answer is 41.
• Write (45 – 16) ÷ 4 on the whiteboard and ask students if the brackets will make a difference to the answer. Agree that they will, because they will do the part
1 1
in the brackets first, so 45 – 16 = 29 and 29 ÷ 4 = 7 . This is because 28 ÷ 4 = 7 and there is 1 left over, and 1 ÷ 4 = .
4 4
Short Task
Write 24 × 3 – 2 and 24 × (3 – 2) on the whiteboard and ask students to do both calculations.
Teaching
• Agree that, in the first calculation, the multiplication is done first (24 × 3 = 72), then 2 is subtracted to give an answer of 70. In the second calculations, the
brackets are done first (3 – 2 = 1), then 24 in multiplied by 1 to give an answer of 24. Rehearse the rules. Say: If there are brackets, do the part in the
brackets first. If there are no brackets, do multiplication or division before the addition or subtraction. (Do the ‘harder’ operations first.)
• Ask when we need to do more than one calculation other than in a maths lesson. Suggest that some everyday contexts might require this.

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• Write the following problem on the whiteboard. Sam goes to the match with £100 in his wallet. He buys three tickets for the match. The tickets are £26 each.
How much has he left in his wallet? Read the first problem together.
• Remind the class of RNCA: Read, Note information (numbers), Calculate (write the number sentence and solve it), then Answer the question.
• Re-read the problem together. Ask: How much money does Sam have at the beginning? (£100.) Write £100 on the whiteboard. Ask: How much does he
spend? (Three lots of £26.) Write 3 × £26 on the whiteboard, next to £100, leaving a small gap in the calculation (£100 3 × £26). Discuss the fact that he
spends this money so it will be taken out of his wallet. Write a minus sign in the small gap on the whiteboard, so £100 – 3 × £26.
• Discuss which bit students should do first. (The multiplication.) Draw brackets around round this and explain that this will help students to see what they are
doing first: £100 – (3 × £26). Ask students to work this out.
• Take feedback and agree that 3 × £26 = £78 and that £100 – £78 = £22. The answer is £22, so Sam has £22 left in his wallet.
• Write the following problem on the whiteboard. To earn some pocket money, Molly and Jamil do some jobs for their grandmother. Jamil earns £12·50 doing
the cleaning, and Molly earns £11·75 doing the gardening. They do this for four weekends in a row. How much do they earn altogether? Remind students of
RNCA. Read the problem together, then Note the information. They earn £12·50 + £11·75 each weekend for four weekends. £12·50 + £11·75 × 4. Point out
that they need to add the amounts that the children earn before multiplying by 4, so they need to include brackets: (£12·50 + £11·75) × 4.
• Ask students to work this out. Calculate: £24 25 × 4 = £97, so the Answer is that they earn £97 altogether.
Key Questions
• Which part of a calculation do you do first? (Multiplication or division if there are no brackets. Otherwise we do the brackets first.)
• How do you approach a word problem? (RNCA: Read, Note information, Calculate and give the Answer.)
Watch out for
• Students who forget which order to do the operations
• Students who cannot work out what a word problem asks them to do
• Students who are careless with the arithmetic because they are in too much of a hurry

Main Activity
Core
Y6 TB1 p31 Using brackets
Linked Resources: Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33
Support
Calculate in the correct order
Work through RS 889A Using brackets in a calculation with students (answers on RS 889B Using brackets in a calculation (Answers)). Write the calculations in
stages, one part below the next, to make it clear what is going on when working out the part in brackets first. For example:

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When students are confident with the order in which the operations are done, move on to the word problems on Y6 TB1 p31 (Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33) together.
Assessment Focus
• Do students know the order in which they have to do operations within a calculation?
• Can students solve multi-step problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication or division?
Extend
Y6 TB1 p32 Using brackets
Linked Resources: Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33
Further Support
Line up calculations vertically so that it is easy to see what is being done at each stage. Make sure that students write down all the information given in a word
problem. This helps them to sort out what has to be done.

Plenary
Ask a student or a pair of students to describe one of the word problems they solved. Discuss how they know what has to be done in a word problem. Point out
that it is useful to write the numbers down and then look at what has to be done to them. Is it asking students to add or subtract, divide or multiply? Together, write
a word problem for another class to solve.

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Resources
Physical Resources Photocopiable Resources
• Whiteboards • RS 889A Using brackets in a calculation
• Y6 TB1 • RS 889B Using brackets in a calculation (Answers)
• Y6 TB1 Answers p23-33

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