Add Multi-Digit Whole Numbers Using the Standard Algorithm

Students fluently add multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm, correctly regrouping (carrying) across multiple place values. They align digits by place value and apply the algorithm to numbers with up to six digits.

Try three of them

Real questions from this skill, graded here. No account, and nothing is saved.

Grade 4 · Addition and Subtraction of Multi-Digit Numbers · question 1 of 3

0 of 20

20 rungs. A star at the top.

+ 94 = 540

How it is taught

0:00 of 4:56

Each place is added in its own column.

Start at the ones and move left.

Ten in a place makes one of the next place.

Read it: Ones under ones

To add 3587 and 246, write 246 under 3587 with ones under ones. Add each place from the ones, and carry a ten when a place makes 10 or more: 3833.

Write the numbers in place columns, ones under ones and tens under tens.
Add the ones first: 7 + 6 = 13, so write 3 and carry 1 ten.
Add each place to the left, with any carried 1, until the last place: 3833.

A digit is worth its place, so only ones are added to ones and tens to tens.

10 ones make 1 ten, so a place that makes 10 or more passes 1 to the next place.

The carried 1 is added in its new place, so 5 + 2 + 1 = 8 hundreds.

Line up the places, add from the ones, and carry a ten whenever a place makes 10 or more.

Lining up 246 under the first digits of 3587 and getting 6047.

246 has no thousands, so its 6 goes under the 7: ones under ones gives 3833.

4627 + 3185 = ___ — 7812. Add each place from the ones, carrying a ten wherever a column makes 10 or more: 4627 + 3185 = 7812.

2,847 + 1,365

Imagine a school library has two thousand eight hundred forty-seven books, and gets a donation of one thousand three hundred sixty-five more. How many books in all?

We stack the numbers so the place values line up — ones under ones, tens under tens, all the way up.

Start at the right. Add the ones: seven plus five.

Seven plus five is twelve. Write the two below, and carry the one over to the tens.

Now the tens: one carried, plus four, plus six.

That's eleven. Write a one in the tens place and carry another one to the hundreds.

Hundreds next: one carried, plus eight, plus three.

Twelve again! Write the two and carry one more to the thousands.

Grade 4 · Stack, add, and carry across four place values

Last column. One carried, plus two, plus one — that's four.

Two thousand eight hundred forty-seven plus one thousand three hundred sixty-five equals four thousand two hundred twelve. The library has 4,212 books!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal: 1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now: Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

More of the library

Every skill has a page

Practise this skill free

14 days of every skill, practice packets, Fluency sheets and up to four students. No card.

Start free