Maths Exam — Combined Basic Operations
Practise addition and subtraction with progressive mental arithmetic. The exam presents operations of increasing difficulty — from single-digit numbers to tens and hundreds — to build arithmetic fluency before moving on to multiplication and division.
Addition and subtraction are the two basic arithmetic operations and the foundation of all mathematics. Adding means putting quantities together; subtracting means taking away or finding the difference between them. Mastering them by heart, without a calculator, is the most valuable skill in Primary school: it speeds up mental arithmetic and builds confidence for multiplication, division and word problems.
The key is to practise progressively: first the single-digit combinations (7+5, 13-8) until they become automatic, then operations with tens and hundreds, including subtraction with borrowing. Tricks such as grouping numbers that add up to 10, or breaking an operation into parts, make calculation much faster.
With the games below you will revise additions and subtractions of increasing difficulty, in short rounds that turn mental arithmetic into a challenge. Ideal for Primary and the first years of Secondary.
Revise the subject with our interactive games and exams:
10 operations of increasing difficulty, graded at the end. It measures your speed and accuracy.
Play →Combine the cards with the operations to reach the target number. Mental arithmetic turned into a puzzle.
Play →Navigate a grid of operations and reach the goals with the exact score.
Play →Mathematics · Primary, Secondary
Operations increase in complexity throughout the exam. You start with 7+5 and finish with 234-87. The brain warms up gradually.
Addition and subtraction are the basis for multiplication, division and fractions. Mastering them without a calculator is the most valuable maths skill in Primary.
The exam measures not only whether you get the right answer, but whether you do so with confidence. Repeating the same type of operation in different variants builds automaticity.
"A Year 3 student who struggled with borrowing in subtraction practises for 10 minutes a day over a week. By the end of the week, he solves them without errors or hesitation."
Tricks and techniques to master this topic faster:
For fast addition: group numbers that make 10 first. 3+7+4+6 = (3+7)+(4+6) = 10+10 = 20.
For subtraction with borrowing: picture the larger number "lending" a ten. 52-7: think of 52 as 40+12, so 12-7=5, result 45.
Practise single-digit combinations until they are automatic (7+8, 9+6, 13-7...) — they are the basis of all mental arithmetic.
If you get stuck, break the operation into parts: 67+38 = 67+30+8 = 97+8 = 105.
If you are studying Addition & Subtraction — Mental Arithmetic, these curriculum topics complement each other:
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