Basic+Facts

Mastery of the basic facts is one important requirement for success in all areas of mathematics. Students’ mastery of a fact is indicated by their ability to: show it with materials and explain their actions; recall at will; use it in solving a problem.

In aiming to reach this level of mastery, they should: explore each fact with materials; record it in a variety of ways; write the equation for it; practise using it; commit it to memory.

While gaining mastery, the students can refer to aids such as a table array. Basic facts, once understood, must be practised through regular activities such as written exercises, games, competitions, and chanting so that they are committed to memory, retained and recalled with increasing facility.

The following nine stages have been designed to assist in the student’s mastery of the basic facts as they commit them to memory. There are one hundred facts at each stage.

Stage 1 = 2x table + and - sums to 7 Stage 2 = 10x table + and - sums to 12 Stage 3 = 5x table + and - sums to 15 Stage 4 = 3x 4x table + and - sums to 18 Stage 5 = 6x 7x table basic addition with one addend bigger than 10 Stage 6 = 8x 9x table addends of 10s and 20s Stage 7 = 100 multiplication facts Stage 8 = 100 division facts Stage 9 = 100 basic facts

Worksheets are available at each stage to assist with learning. They are divided into four columns so that regular practice of 1-11/2 minutes per column can be carried out. Answers are on reverse side.

It is important when first working with the stages that learning the facts takes priority over speed of recall. Addition and subtraction, stand alone 2x table, and stage 1 with 1 column, 2 columns and 3 columns have been included as prestage 1 work where required.

To pass from one level to the next the student must score 95% or better in 5 minutes or less. When Stage 9 is passed speed of recall becomes the main priority. This can be done by beginning at stage 1 again and moving through the stages by achieving 95% or better in 3 minutes or less.

Five additional stages have been developed to extend students knowledge of facts in the four operations.

Stage 1 = 11x 12x 13x table addends 30s and 40s Stage 2 = 14x 15x table addends of 50s and 60s Stage 3 = 16x 17x table addends of 70s and 80s Stage 4 = 18x 19x table addends to and including 90s Stage 5 = combination of Basic Facts and Basic Facts Gold

Understanding these additional facts aids in the students’ use of estimation. The Gold worksheets however, shouldn’t be used until students have mastery of the original nine stages.