Column addition 5: Ingenious Ants
The Number Bit!
In this exciting lesson, you will need to solve a range of addition word problems that feature ants. Try using PAWS to arrive at the right answer!
P = Picture the problem in your mind.
A = Annotate the word problem by highlighting the important information.
W = Write down the number sentence that needs to be solved.
S = Solve the number sentence using an efficient strategy.
Prior learning: 4-digit column addition with one exchange
Use PAWS and column addition to solve the following word problem.
After 3 months, a leaf cutter ant colony had grown in size to include 13,256 ants. A month later, following the hatching of the queen’s eggs, a further 14,963 ants were added to the colony.
How many leaf cutter ants were in the colony after this 4 month period?
Did you know?
Unable to digest the tough leaves that they cut, worker leaf cutter ants carry leaf parts underground. The ants mash up the leaf parts to create a compost, which is used to grow a type of fungus that feeds the colony.