Learning number facts

What are Number Facts?

Number facts are simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts which are sometimes referred to as number bonds.

Children learn these basic facts between the ages of 4 and 10. Throughout their primary school experience, they will be taught these key facts and encouraged to practice and memorise them until they can be recalled instantly with little working out.

Why are Number Facts Important?

Number facts are important for your child to learn because they form the building blocks for higher-level Maths skills.

Adding and subtracting large numbers, long multiplication and division, telling the time and counting money are all concepts of Maths that children will encounter early on in their life. Therefore, if they have mastered number facts, they will find it easier to solve problems more quickly and understand the relationship between numbers, like how 4-2=2 because of 2+2=4.

How children are taught Number Facts?

The National Curriculum sets out key number facts children need to know each year. When children are taught a new number fact, they will also develop an understanding that this sentence can be written in reverse and still have the same answer. This is called commutativity and your child will be taught the correct terminology for it. 

For example, when a child learns 1 + 9 = 10   , they will also know that   9 + 1 = 10.

                                              or       3 x 5 = 15          5 x 3 = 15 

Once securing these key facts, children when then be able to apply this understanding to subtraction and division. For example.         

  10 - 9 = 1      10 - 1 = 9

                          15 ÷ 3 = 5         15 ÷ 5 = 3

When are children taught Number Facts?

Number Facts are taught throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and follow the National Curriculum.