You can put together, take away and write numerals. A number sentence tells the story with numbers and signs.
| Sign | We say | It means |
|---|---|---|
| $+$ | plus | put together |
| $-$ | minus | take away |
| $=$ | equals | is the same amount as |
Key idea
$+$ means put together. $-$ means take away. $=$ means “is the same amount as.”
Why it works
The equals sign works like a balance. Both sides must be the same amount. That is why $5 = 4 + 1$ is true too: the answer can come first.
Worked example: Frogs hop away
Write a number sentence: 5 frogs sit on a log. 2 hop away. 3 are left.
- Start with 5.
- Hopping away is taking away, so use $-$.
- 3 are left.
- $5 - 2 = 3$
Answer: $5 - 2 = 3$
Common mistake
Thinking = means “write the answer now.” It means “is the same amount as.” So $4 + 1 = 5$ and $5 = 4 + 1$ are both true.
For grown-ups: Sometimes read = aloud as “is the same amount as,” so your child hears what it really means.