1 more and 1 less: what children learn
Finding 1 more or 1 less than a number is one of the first things children learn about how numbers are ordered. 1 more than 6 is 7, the next number when counting forwards. 1 less than 6 is 5, the number before it.
Practice counting forward and backward by one. This is supporting number-sense practice, rather than the full reading and writing task in 1.NBT.A.1.
How to play
How many can you answer in 60 seconds? Type the answer and press Enter. Questions keep coming for 60 seconds. Type each answer and press Enter, or choose Skip. Answers can be typed with or without commas.
Step by step
- Count forwards and backwards. Children need to count fluently in both directions from any number, not just from 1. Practice counting on from 17, or back from 43.
- Use a number track or 100 square. On a 100 square, 1 more is one step to the right and 1 less is one step to the left. At the end of a row, 1 more wraps round to the start of the next row (from 40 to 41), which is a good talking point.
- Notice which digit changes. For most numbers only the ones digit changes: 1 more than 52 is 53. When the ones digit is 9, adding 1 makes it 0 and the tens go up by one: 1 more than 59 is 60.
- Answer without counting from the start. The aim is to answer quickly by thinking only about the neighbors of the number, not by counting up from 1 each time.
Worked examples
Example 1: What is 1 more than 47?
Working: Count on one from 47: the next number is 48. Only the ones digit changes, from 7 to 8.
Answer: 48
Example 2: What is 1 less than 60?
Working: Counting back from 60 we cross into the 50s. The ones digit goes from 0 to 9 and the tens go down from 6 to 5.
Answer: 59
Example 3: What is 1 more than 99?
Working: The ones digit goes from 9 to 0 and the tens go from 9 to 10, giving 100.
Answer: 100
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Saying 1 less than 40 is 49 or 30. Count back slowly: 42, 41, 40, 39. Point to the numbers on a 100 square so children see 39 sits just before 40.
- Mixing up 'more' and 'less'. Ask 'is the answer going to be bigger or smaller?' before working it out.
- Writing numbers in the 'teens' backwards, such as 61 for 16. Say the number as tens and ones: sixteen is 1 ten and 6 ones.
Activities to try at home
- On the stairs, step up for 1 more and down for 1 less, saying each number.
- Use house numbers on a walk: what number is next door? (On many streets it is 2 more, which is a nice discussion.)
- Play 'what's my neighbor?': you say a number, your child says the numbers either side of it.
Ideas for the classroom
- Hide numbers on a 100 square and ask children to name the numbers to the left and right.
- Number line washing line: peg up cards and ask a child to peg 1 more or 1 less next to a given number.
- Extend to 10 more and 10 less once 1 more and 1 less are secure.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a color-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
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Practice counting forward and backward by one. This is supporting number-sense practice, rather than the full reading and writing task in 1.NBT.A.1.
Why does my child find 1 less than 50 hard?
Because the tens digit changes as well as the ones. Practice counting backwards across tens (52, 51, 50, 49, 48) until it feels natural.
Does the game include zero?
Yes. The game includes 1 more than 0, and asks 1 less only for numbers from 1 upwards, so answers are never negative.