Help learning complimentary numbers

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I would grateful of any help with this but my DS (6) has test on Friday in complementary numbers to 12, i.e 12 and 8. Tried to help him today with raisins but he just ate them and did not grasp it at all. Any tips would be really useful.

what's a complimentary number then?

"oooo 8", says 7 "you've got a really nice arse"

"hey 1" says 12 "have you lost weight?"

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I also have no idea what a complementary number is

Neither did I until it was in his homework book yesterday. It is making two numbers up to 20 such as 12 and 8 or 11 and 9. He has until Friday to learn them for a test and I don't know how to help him.

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What is a number line?

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DD1 plays a game called 'ping pong' (or it might be 'bing bong' (???), where I go 'ping' and she goes 'pong' and then I say (for example) '5' and she has to say '15', and then back to 'ping' 'pong' '12' '8' 'ping' 'pong' '4' '16' and so on... The idea is to keep it going quite fast, back and forth. (I don't think I've explained that very well, sorry; but it does work quite well - good for in the car!)

These are called number bonds at my dd's school and you might get some more ideas if you search for that. (I think there may even be some old threads on it on here.)

I'm sure some helpful teacher-ly types will be along soon with some more ideas.

(And PMSL @ 'complimentary' numbers.)

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Thanks all. I use the ambleside sight for the spelling. That has got to be one great school for parents.