Column Addition (Year 4)

Practise column addition within Arithmetic for Year 4, with worked examples and instant feedback.

The questions below are generated to match the National Curriculum for Year 4 and get harder as you progress from Rookie to Guru.

Worked examples

RookieRead and interpret directly.

What is 7 × 8?

  • 54
  • 56
  • 64
  • 48

Answer: 56. Seven eights are 56. Try the bridge: 7 × 8 = (7 × 10) − (7 × 2) = 70 − 14 = 56.

ProCompare and infer.

Calculate 432 − 178.

  • 244
  • 254
  • 264
  • 274

Answer: 254. 432 − 178: exchange as needed. 12 − 8 = 4 (ones), 12 − 7 = 5 (tens after exchange), 3 − 1 = 2 (hundreds). Answer: 254.

GuruMulti-step reasoning.

Why does (12 × 4) ÷ 2 give the same answer as 12 × 2?

  • Because ÷ 2 and × 2 are inverse operations, so × 4 then ÷ 2 is the same as × 2.
  • Because both equal 24 by coincidence.
  • Because 12 is even.
  • Because of the order of operations.

Answer: Because ÷ 2 and × 2 are inverse operations, so × 4 then ÷ 2 is the same as × 2.. × 4 is the same as × 2 × 2. Then ÷ 2 cancels one of the × 2. Result: × 2.

Related skills

Frequently asked questions

What is column addition?
Practise column addition within Arithmetic for Year 4, with worked examples and instant feedback.
How can my child practise column addition at home?
Work through the examples below, then start a free adaptive session. Northstar adjusts the difficulty automatically and tracks mastery over time.

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