What is Addition?
Addition means putting things together to find out how many there are in all. When we add, the total is always more than what we started with.
We use the plus sign (+) to show addition and the equals sign (=) to show the answer.
What is What is Addition? - Class 1 Maths (Addition (Grade 1))?
Addition is combining two or more groups to find the total. The total is also called the sum.
3 + 2 = 5
addend + addend = sum
The numbers we add are called addends. The answer is the sum.
Solved Examples
Example 1: Putting Apples Together
Question: Ria has 2 apples. She gets 3 more. How many apples now?
Think:
- Ria has 2 apples
- She gets 3 more → we ADD
- 2 + 3 = 5
Answer: Ria has 5 apples.
Example 2: Adding with Fingers
Question: What is 4 + 1?
Think:
- Hold up 4 fingers
- Put up 1 more finger
- Count all fingers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Answer: 4 + 1 = 5.
Example 3: Birds on a Tree
Question: 3 birds sit on a tree. 4 more birds come. How many birds now?
Think:
- First: 3 birds
- More come: 4 birds
- 3 + 4 = 7
Answer: There are 7 birds on the tree.
Example 4: Kavi's Marbles
Question: Kavi has 5 marbles. Aman gives him 2 more. How many in all?
Think:
- Started with 5
- Got 2 more → ADD
- 5 + 2 = 7
Answer: Kavi has 7 marbles.
Example 5: Adding Two Groups
Question: One plate has 3 chapatis. Another plate has 3 chapatis. How many chapatis in all?
Think:
- Plate 1: 3 chapatis
- Plate 2: 3 chapatis
- 3 + 3 = 6
Answer: There are 6 chapatis in all.
Example 6: Sum of 1 and 6
Question: Find the sum of 1 and 6.
Think:
- Sum means add
- 1 + 6 = 7
Answer: The sum is 7.
Example 7: Counting On
Question: What is 6 + 3?
Think:
- Start at 6
- Count on 3 more: 7, 8, 9
0 — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9
Answer: 6 + 3 = 9.
Key Points to Remember
- Addition means putting together or combining groups.
- The + sign means add. The = sign means equals.
- The numbers being added are addends. The answer is the sum.
- The sum is always more than (or equal to) the addends.
- Clue words for addition: in all, altogether, total, how many, more, combined.
- You can add in any order: 3 + 2 = 2 + 3 = 5.
Practice Problems
- What is 2 + 5?
- Aditi has 4 pencils. She gets 3 more. How many pencils now?
- Find the sum of 7 and 1.
- 3 + 6 = ___
- There are 5 boys and 4 girls. How many children in all?
- Draw 2 mangoes and 4 mangoes. Count all of them together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is addition?
Addition is putting two or more numbers together to find the total. It tells us how many there are in all.
Q2. What does the + sign mean?
The + sign (plus) means add. It tells us to put two numbers together.
Q3. What is a sum?
The sum is the answer we get after adding. In 3 + 4 = 7, the sum is 7.
Q4. Does the order of adding matter?
No. You can add in any order and get the same answer. 2 + 5 = 5 + 2 = 7.
Q5. How do I know when to add?
Add when the problem says words like: in all, altogether, total, more, combined, how many together.
Q6. What are addends?
Addends are the numbers being added. In 3 + 4 = 7, both 3 and 4 are addends.
