Basic Arithmetic and Inverse Operations
🎬 Video: The Four Operations Explained
What is Addition? (0:01)
🌟 Addition is the process of combining numbers to find the total.
For example, you, Emma, and Alex each have 6 donuts.
Together, you three have:
$$ 6+6+6=18$$
- The numbers being added ($6$, $6$, $6$) are called summands.
- The answer ($18$) is called the sum.
What is Multiplication? (0:34)
🌟 Multiplication is the process of repeated addition.
In this example, you, Emma, and Alex each have 6 donuts.
Since the same number (6) is repeated three times, we can use multiplication instead to find the total:
$$ 3 \times 6 = 18$$
- The 3 is called the multiplier (how many groups you have).
- The 6 is called the multiplicand (how many in each group).
- The 18 is called the product (the total).
What is Subtraction? (1:17)
🌟 Subtraction is the process of taking away some numbers from a larger number.
In this example, you, Emma, and Alex together have 18 donuts.
If someone eats 6 donuts, the number of donuts left is:
$$ 18 \ -\ 6 = 12 $$
- The 18 is called the minuend (the starting amount).
- The 6 is called the subtrahend (the amount taken away).
- The 12 is called the difference (the amount that remains).
What is Division? (1:38)
🌟 Division is the process of splitting a total into equal parts.
For example, you, Emma, Alex, and a friend share 12 donuts equally.
Each person gets:
$$ 12 \div 4 = 3 $$
- The 12 is called the dividend (the total to be shared).
- The 4 is called the divisor (the number of groups or people).
- The 3 is called the quotient (the amount each group gets).
🚨 Can you divide by 0?
No, you cannot divide by 0. Imagine you want to share 12 donuts with 0 people. How would that work?
It is impossible because there is no one to share with. That’s why dividing by 0 is mathematically undefined.
What are Inverse Operations? (2:26)
🌟 Inverse operations are pairs of operations that undo each other.
🔮 Addition and subtraction are inverse operations.
Example:
$2 + 5 = 7$ (addition)
$7\ – \ 5 = 2$ (subtraction)
Adding 5 and then subtracting 5 brings you back to the original number (2).
🔮 Multiplication and division are inverse operations.
Example:
$2 \times 3 = 6$ (multiplication)
$6 \div 3 = 2$ (division)
Multiplying by 3 and then dividing by 3 brings you back to the original number (2).
📂 Flashcards: Addition, Multiplication, Subtraction, Division
🍪 Quiz: Practise Four Operations and Inverse Operations
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