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  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Digit Addition

Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Primary curriculum
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Digit Addition printable sheet


Here's a maths trick to try:

  1. Think of one of the numbers from 1 to 9.
  2. Add 9 to your number.
  3. Add the digits of your answer together. What is your new number?

What do you notice?

Try the trick again with a new starting number from 1 to 9. What do you notice now?

Will this always happen if you start with a number from 1 to 9?

Jonas tried the trick with a few different numbers. He said:


I think you will always get back to your original number, because adding 9 is the same as adding 10 and subtracting 1.


Do you agree with Jonas? Can you help him explain what is happening?

Can you explain the trick in a different way?

Related Collections

  • Back to LTHC resources

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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