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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Number Bonds - What are they?

47 replies

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 11:32

Hope someone can help me as I almost made myself look like a wally in front of my dd.
She is in year 1 and likes to "teach" me what she is learning, anyway this morning she asked me to tell her the "number bonds of 10" I didnt have a clue what she was talking about so made out like we had to rush or we'd be late. Can anyone tell me what it means so I can impress her with my brainyness when she gets in tonight.

Thanks

OP posts:

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CameronCook · 03/03/2011 11:33

Think its the numbers that combine to make 10 - ie

1+9
2+8
etc etc

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 11:41

...and cloudpuff a good knowledge of number bonds, first to ten, then twenty etc will stand her in good stead.

Original poster

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 12:28

Ah I get it now, why cant they just say "numbers that add to ten". I have never been good with maths, I really dread when she gets older and needs help with times tables, I am gonna look daft. :)

OP posts:

2pinkmonkeys · 03/03/2011 12:34

i dont think that it i just has to be the ones that add up to 10 though, number bond to 10 would be any 2 numbers whos sum are 10 or less, i think thats how dd did it any way. they normaly learn to 10 once they have mastered that they go on to 15 then 20 then basic times tables thats how dd's class have been doing it any way.

lovecheese · 03/03/2011 12:37

2pinkmonkeys, sorry but I'm pretty sure you are wrong, number bonds are the 2 numbers that when totalled add up to ten; I think you are confusing it with the simple addition of 1 digit numbers.

KnittingRocks · 03/03/2011 12:39

Number bonds to 10 are the numbers that add to 10 as Cameron said:

1 + 9
2 + 8
3 + 7

etc

Don't worry about the times tables - get one of those big charts and stick it up on the wall somewhere then you can both learn them together. Get her to sit with her back to the wall while you test her then you can check her answers .

littlebylittle · 03/03/2011 12:40

2pink, you're right you can talk about number bonds of any number, eg the number bonds of five are 3 and 2, 1 and 4 and the other way round. The ones you come across most are of ten because they are so useful to know to do calculations with.

meditrina · 03/03/2011 12:44

They learn them to 10, then to 20 (carrying), both addition and subtraction, as knowing these automatically really, really helps with all later mental arithmetic.

livingadream · 03/03/2011 12:47

I agree that number bonds are 2 numbers that when added together make 10.

Also agree that if they learn them well at this stage it really helps them later on. Even for times tables knowing number bonds for 10 reallyhelps especially with 8 and 9 x tables.

Cloudpuff - like you I am not confident in maths and worried about how I would cope. I have re-learnt my tables with my 10 yr old as it dawned on me that there was no real alternative! I couldn't test him or even hear him recite his tables if I didn't know them myself. I'm really pleased for the reminder as lots of daily things are easier for me now my tables are quick and accurate.

Original poster

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 12:47

I love the idea of the chart its great, I think I will have a look around for one soon and practice as knowing my luck she'd sit ME with my back to it so i couldnt cheat.:)

OP posts:

BendyBob · 03/03/2011 12:54

I remember first hearing about these at a parents evening. The teacher was talking about dd needing to practice them, but I thought she was saying 'number bombs'.

I had no idea what she could mean and had to have it all explained to me by dh afterwards in the carpark who obviously clicked onto this new fangled terminology. I remember asking 'But why are they called 'bombs'..??'

2pinkmonkeys · 03/03/2011 12:54

may be i am thinking of number bonds up to 10 rather than the number bonds of 10, dd's class learned them all at the same time so was probably just thinking it was the same thing?

Original poster

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 13:03

Living, I think I am gonna have to relearn my times tables too. I remember when I was about ten and the teacher would do these random tests where he would ask a random multiplication and I remember almost chewing the inside of cheek of because I knew I would not know the answer and the teacher would get all shouty. Im the same with long division.

OP posts:

CameronCook · 03/03/2011 13:05

at number bombs

BetsyBoop · 03/03/2011 13:13

You are not alone OP, I had no idea what number bonds were when DD's reception teacher started talking about them (and I have a maths degree....) Had to look them up on the good ol' t'inter'web when I got home, so as not to look like an uneducated oaf!

Obviously I need to get up to speed with all the new fangled terminology, as they didn't have number bonds when I was a lass... :)

Original poster

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 13:22

I think the terminology is more confusing than the math itself.

Last week my dd was testing me on "split diagraphs", and again I felt like a wally as I had no idea what it meant. My dd had to teach me, it was called the "magic e" when I was little.

OP posts:

haggisaggis · 03/03/2011 13:23

Someone on here had a nice wee song that helped my dd learn them - to tune of "row, row, row your boat":

1 + 9 are number bonds
2 + 8 are friends
3 + 7
4 + 6
5 + 5 are twins

FreudianSlippery · 03/03/2011 13:29

A good way to display them is by making some butterflies and putting the numbers on each wing - so a '10' butterfly would have 5 on each wing, another would have 6 on one wing and 4 on the other, etc...

KnittingRocks · 03/03/2011 13:35

Wait til they get onto 'chunking' - then your head really will explode !

bronze · 03/03/2011 13:38

too late
and ds1 is 7

Why does everything have to have a name these days.

They're numbers that add up to 10 ffs (in this example)

Original poster

cloudpuff · 03/03/2011 13:42

I'm almost afraid to ask what "chunking" is. Sounds like something which involves lots of numbers.

OP posts:

MistyB · 03/03/2011 13:43

This book is great... Maths for Mums and Dads

KnittingRocks · 03/03/2011 13:47

Don't get me started on the 'modern' methods of teaching maths . I spent months trying to teach my kids the hideous new long division method then in a fit of rebellion showed them the old method and they all got it instantly .

Could never convince my HT though!

KnittingRocks · 03/03/2011 13:49

Here's an example

Soooo long winded!

MooM00 · 03/03/2011 13:57

My dc call them sweetheart numbers. 2 and 8 are sweethearts.

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