Column methods with 4 digits: what children learn
Year 4 pupils add and subtract numbers with up to four digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate.
In this game children work out four-digit additions and subtractions, including subtractions across zeros, such as 3,040 − 2,156, that need several exchanges in a row.
This topic covers the Year 4 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Number – addition and subtraction): pupils should be taught to “add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate”. Year 4 pupils are usually aged 8–9.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 4.NBT.B.4, which is taught in Grade 4.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Line up the digits. Thousands, hundreds, tens and ones, all in their columns.
- Work from the ones. Start on the right and move left one column at a time.
- Carry and exchange. Carry tens into the next column when adding. Exchange from the next column when subtracting.
- Exchanging across zero. If the next column is 0, exchange from the column after that first.
Worked examples
Example 1: 5,641 + 2,641
Working: Ones: 2. Tens: 8. Hundreds: 12, write 2, carry 1. Thousands: 5 + 2 + 1 = 8.
Answer: 8,282
Example 2: 5,517 − 3,367
Working: Ones: 0. Tens: 1 − 6 needs an exchange: 11 − 6 = 5. Hundreds: 4 − 3 = 1. Thousands: 2.
Answer: 2,150
Example 3: 3,040 − 2,156
Working: Exchange across the zeros to find 14 − 6, 13 − 5 and 9 − 1, then 2 − 2.
Answer: 884
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Getting stuck when the top digit is 0. Exchange from the next column that is not zero, then work back.
- Forgetting a carried digit in the thousands. Write carried digits clearly below the line.
- Misplacing digits when numbers have different lengths. Line up from the ones, not from the left.
Activities to try at home
- Add the distances on a road sign or a map.
- Find the difference between two years, such as when a grandparent was born and now.
- Check each answer with the inverse operation.
Ideas for the classroom
- Pupils model exchanging across zero with place-value counters.
- Give pupils two numbers and ask them to create an addition that needs no carrying and one that needs carrying in every column.
- Use estimation to check answers before marking.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why do subtractions with zeros cause problems?
There is nothing to exchange from in that column, so children have to go further left. It needs careful practice.
Should children always use a column method?
No. For 4,000 − 1,999, a mental method is quicker. Children should choose.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to choose an answer.