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Memorizing Addition and Subtraction Facts: 2 of 5

Home > Resources > Addition and Subtraction Facts > Backwards 1 & Doubles

The Backwards 1 and Doubles "tricks" below are taken from Two Plus Two is Not Five by Susan Greenwald, MA Ed. You can find more about this workbook and author here.

Work through the two tricks below with your child and then use the links to the worksheets and fact cards for practice and review.

Text Size: A | A | A | A
B A C K G R O U N D
C O L O R _ _ _ _ _

Trick: Backwards 1

Count Backwards

10 7 5 9 4 8 6 3 2
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Write the number that is one less.

3   10   8   6   5   9   4
2                        
                         
7   9   10   4   7   2   8
                         

What comes before?

____ , 10 ____ , 3 ____ , 9 ____ , 6
____ , 8 ____ , 7 ____ , 5 ____ , 2
____ ,4 ____ , 10 ____ , 6 ____ , 8
____ , 9 ____ , 5 ____ , 4 ____ , 3

Try this printable worksheet on which you can try the above steps on paper.

Review the candy bar examples shown below and then try following the three tasks:

example showing how taking one away equates to subtraction

  1. Complete this worksheet to practice more with the Backwards 1 trick as well as with some of the tricks you have already learned.
  2. Print out and complete this worksheet to practice Backwards 1 and Number +1 together.
  3. After finishing both of the above worksheets you should print out these "- 1" flashcards to help review and memorize the math facts learned using the Backward 1 trick.

Trick: Doubles

illustration of how 3 + 3 = 6

3
+ 3
2
+ 2
3
+ 3
5
+ 5
2
+ 2
3
+ 3
1
+ 1
5
+ 5
3
+ 3
1
+ 1
3
+ 3
5
+ 5
2
+ 2
3
+ 3

Carry out these two tasks:

  1. Print out this addition and subtraction facts worksheet to try the questions above on paper and to practice using the Doubles and other tricks that you have learned so far.
  2. Try this worksheet to practice Doubles, Number +1 and Backwards 1.

Next Trick: Zero >>

Click to learn more about this Addition Facts Workbook
These strategies for helping to memorize addition and subtraction facts were developed by Susan Greenwald, MA Ed. and are taken from the beginning of her Two Plus Two is Not Five workbook. Susan has written three books on teaching math facts and is a sought-after speaker and presenter.

You'll find more about Susan and her work here.


The information on this page is Copyright © 2006 by Susan R. Greenwald All Rights Reserved


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