How can you tell they’ve got it: Early Word Problems?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Solve 'I have 12 sweets and eat 4, how many left?'; Solve missing number: 7 = [ ] – 9; Solve problems using concrete objects and pictorial representations. Or just try it together: If you say 'I had some sweets, ate 5, and now have 9 left — how many did I start with?', can your child figure out the missing number?

Mathematics Addition & Subtraction Ages 5–7

Early Word Problems

Your child can solve one-step word sums up to 20, even with a hidden number. 'I ate 5, now have 9 — how many at first?' They find 14.

In curriculum terms

Solve one-step word problems involving addition and subtraction to 20, including missing-number problems

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Solve 'I have 12 sweets and eat 4, how many left?'
Solve missing number: 7 = [ ] – 9
Solve problems using concrete objects and pictorial representations

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Try this together

If you say 'I had some sweets, ate 5, and now have 9 left — how many did I start with?', can your child figure out the missing number?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Adding and subtractingages 5–6Word problems to 20 require the procedural ability to add/subtract to 20

Addition and subtraction word problemsages 4–6Word problems to 20 extend from word problems within 10 — same problem structures at a higher range

Early Word Problemsthis skill · ages 5–7

Unlocks

Two-Step Word Problemsages 7–8Word problems within 100 extend word problems within 20

Guided Multi-Step Problem Solvingages 6–7Planning approaches to word problems within 20 exercises this skill

Mental and written addition and subtractionages 6–7Problem-solving in context extends from Y1 word problems

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M3A02medium confidenceYear 3 · Algebra

extend and apply knowledge of addition and subtraction facts to 20 to develop efficient mental strategies for computation with larger numbers without a calculator

AC9M2N04medium confidenceYear 2 · Number

add and subtract one- and two-digit numbers, representing problems using number sentences and solve using part-part-whole reasoning and a variety of calculation strategies

AC9M2A02medium confidenceYear 2 · Algebra

recall and demonstrate proficiency with addition facts to 20; extend and apply facts to develop related subtraction facts

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA2-AR-02medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 2

MA2-AR-01medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 2

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M2N04high confidenceMathematics · Level 2 · Number strand

VC2M3A02medium confidenceMathematics · Level 3 · Algebra strand

VC2M3N05medium confidenceMathematics · Level 3 · Number strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Adding and subtractingages 5–6 Fluent adding and subtracting within 5ages 5–6 Number bondsages 5–6 Reading +, −, and = symbolsages 5–6

All Addition & Subtraction skills →