If Toni, who is only six years old, is asked what she would get if she added 5 and 10 together, which of the following processes would she most likely use?
A) She would break the ten down into two fives and then add five together three times.
B) She would start with five and add ten by increasing the sum, one number at a time (e.g., "five, six, seven, eight…").
C) She would already have memorized that the sum is 15, so she would simply retrieve it form memory rather than calculating the answer.
D) She would start with ten, and add five by increasing the sum one number at a time (e.g., "ten, eleven, twelve…").

Question

If Toni, who is only six years old, is asked what she would get if she added 5 and 10 together, which of the following processes would she most likely use?
A) ​She would break the ten down into two fives and then add five together three times.
B) ​She would start with five and add ten by increasing the sum, one number at a time (e.g., "five, six, seven, eight…").
C) ​She would already have memorized that the sum is 15, so she would simply retrieve it form memory rather than calculating the answer.
D) ​She would start with ten, and add five by increasing the sum one number at a time (e.g., "ten, eleven, twelve…").

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Young children often use a counting-on strategy, starting with the larger number and counting up by the smaller number.

If Toni, Who Is Only Six Years Old, Is Asked