Printable Making the Next Ten Worksheets

Making the next ten worksheets guide students to bridge through friendly decade numbers during addition. These printable practice pages develop Singapore-style mental math strategies with answer keys.

Making the Next Ten Practice Pack. Ready to Print.

Structured, printable skill sheets with step-by-step guidance for Making the Next Ten.

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Targeted Practice by Skill

About Making the Next Ten

What this skill is

Making the next ten decomposes the second addend to turn the first addend into a multiple of ten before adding the rest (such as solving 28 + 7 as 28 + 2 = 30, then 30 + 5 = 35).

When children learn it

Bridging ten for facts within 20 is taught in 1st grade. Applying make-a-ten to two-digit and three-digit mental addition is mastered in 2nd and 3rd grade.

Teaching Tips

  • Draw number bonds under the second number: for 37 + 5, ask "How many does 37 need to reach 40? (3)". Break 5 into 3 and 2. Then add: 37 + 3 = 40, plus 2 = 42. Writing the split branches visually makes bridging easy.

Common Mistakes

  • Decomposing the wrong amount and failing to reach the exact next ten.
  • Adding the decomposed part to the total twice.
  • Forgetting how much was left over from the second addend after filling the ten.