Ginny Crisonino - Math Basics Made Easy

Chapter 1 Adding Two Single-Digit Numbers

This is, by far, the most important chapter in The Book of Addition. Youre going to find out just how well you can add. But before we start, you MUST put away your pocket calculator. We promise that you will not need it even once while you work your way through the entire book. Back in the good old days, by which we mean the 1940s and 1950s, in the first grade nearly every child in America was forced to learn the addition table all the way up to 10 + 10. That happened to be an excellent idea. Youll find this table on the next page.

Take a fast look at it. Then were going to find out if you know the entire table. Addition Table: Single-Digit Numbers
Its extremely important for you to know the answers to all 100 problems in this table. Chances are you already know nearly all of them, but we need to make sure. If you cant add properly, you cant do math. Its that simple.

So please turn to the next page and take Self-Test 1. After youve done all the problems, youll be able to check your work by looking at the answers on the facing page. Circle any problems you get wrong. But remember: no peeking at the answers until youve finished the entire test. This is very important, because if you peek, you wont find out what you know and what you dont know. Self-Test 1

Answers to Self-Test 1
How did you do? If you got everything right, you can skip the rest of the chapter and go directly to Chapter 2.

If you got no more than five problems wrong, youre just a little rusty. All you need to do is memorize the answers to the problems you got wrong. Write each of these problems on separate index cards or even on scraps of paper and then, on the back, write down the correct answer. Use these flash cards to test yourself until youre confident that you have learned the correct answer to each of these problems. If you got more than five problems wrong, wed like you to retake Self-Test 1. Theres a fresh copy of the test on the next page.

Then, once again, check your answers, circling any problems with incorrect answers. Retest: Self-Test 1

Retest: Answers to Self-Test 1
How did you do this time? Hopefully you got at least a few more right answers. What wed like you to do now is compare your results that you got the first time you took Self-Test 1 with those when you took it again. Were there some problems you got wrong both times? Those are the ones youll need to go over several times. Use an index card for each problem you got wrong on the first test as well as for each problem you got wrong the second time you took the test. On the back of each card, please write the correct answer to the problem.

You now have a set of flash cards for all the problems that gave you trouble. But look at the bright side: The problems you got right both times you took the test are the ones youve got down cold. You wont have to look at them again. If youve been doing all this without a break, please take some time off. As we shall repeat from time to time, Rome wasnt built in a day. When you have completed Back to Basics, you will have mastered a few years of math in a very short time.

So lets not rush things. Once you return to your flash cards, just keep testing yourself. Very soon youll find that you have learned the answers to all the problems. Youll then be ready to move on to Chapter 2.

The Book of Addition

Learning mathematics is a lot like building a house. Without a good foundation, the house falls down.

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are the basic building blocks of mathematics. When you have completed this book, you will be very good at addition. And after working your way through our next three books, you will have a very solid mathematical foundation. After that, therell be no stopping you. Back in the good old days when the authors went to elementary school, nearly everyone learned arithmetic. Regretfully, thats no longer the case.

Today one out of two children falls so far behind by the end of the second grade that they can never catch up. Because we really do go back to basics, youll soon have a solid mathematical foundation. And who knows? Maybe someday, when asked to rate your mathematical skills, youll give them a perfect 10. Theres just one thing youll need before we get started a pack of 3 by 5 index cards. Youll need these to make flash cards, with a math question on the front and the answer on the back. But if you want to get started right now, you can just cut up a file folder, or even a piece of paper.

There are only two rules well ask you to follow: Rule number one: You may not use a calculator. Using a calculator interferes with your learning math. So just give it away, because youre not going to need it any more. Rule number two: Since youre going to be working your way through this book, youll need to be confident that you understand what youre doing. If something isnt clear, then go over it until it is. For example, in Chapter 1, you MUST learn to add two single-digit numbers.

No ifs, ands or buts. Youll need to know how to add these numbers WITHOUT a calculator. In fact, by the time you get to the end of Back to Basics, youll have made a great discovery: Your brain actually IS a calculator. Once youve got it up and running, theres no telling how far your brain will take you. You may even discover that you are a mathematical genius.

Chapter 2 Adding Double- and Triple-Digit Numbers

This chapter is so easy, were embarrassed to include it.

But its the next logical step in addition. Self-Test 2 Add these numbers:
Answers to Self-Test 2
Before we go any further, lets look at adding 0 to a number. We actually did that in problems 3 and 6 of Self-Test 2.

• How much is 0 + 4?
  

Were sure you know that the answer is 4.

• Next question: How much is 10 + 0?
  

The answer is 10. In fact, any number plus 0 is that number.

Therefore: 1 + 0 = 1
3 + 0 = 3
0 + 5 = 0
Now lets try adding a couple of three-digit numbers:

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