NCERT Class 1 Maths (Joyful Mathematics) · Chapter 5
How Many?
Adding by putting groups together, the + and = signs, adding on fingers, beads, dice, and a number strip, and taking away with the − sign.
📌 What you’ll learn in this chapter
- Putting two groups together (adding)
- Using + (plus) and = (equals)
- Adding with fingers, beads, dice, and hops
- Taking away (subtracting) with −
- Solving small number stories
🐥 Let’s Begin: Chicks in the Yard
Mother hen has 3 chicks in the yard. 2 more chicks come running out of the coop. Now there are 5 chicks! 3 + 2 = 5 🐥
Then 1 chick runs back inside. 5 − 1 = 4 chicks are left in the yard.
➕ Part 1: Adding
- “3 and 2 altogether make 5” is written as 3 + 2 = 5.
- + means “put together” and = means “makes” or “is the same as”.
- Start from the bigger number and count on: 6 + 2 → 6… 7, 8.
💡 Swap trick
2 + 5 is the same as 5 + 2. Start with the bigger number. It’s quicker to count on!
➖ Part 2: Taking Away
“6 frogs, 2 jumped away, 4 are left” is written as 6 − 2 = 4.
On a number strip, take away by hopping backwards: from 9, hop back 3 → 8, 7, 6.
⚠️ Common mistake
Adding when things go away. ❌ If birds fly away, eaten, or broken, there are fewer left, so take away (−).
✏️ Practice Time
Try these on your own first, then check your answer below each question.
Q1. 4 + 3 = ?
✅ Answer7
Q2. 8 − 3 = ?
✅ Answer5
Q3. Meena has 2 pencils. Papa gives her 4 more. How many now?
✅ Answer2 + 4 = 6 pencils
Q4. 7 laddoos, 2 eaten. How many left?
✅ Answer7 − 2 = 5 laddoos
📘 NCERT Textbook Activity Help
Hints and answers for the activities in the textbook, page by page. Try each one yourself before looking at the answer!
Pages 48–50 · Going out with GrandfatherHow many altogether?
✅ Answer4 + 2 = 6 children · 3 + 1 = 4 tops · 3 + 2 = 5 ants · 4 + 3 = 7 pencils
6 + 2 = 8 balls · 7 + 1 = 8
Let us count: A and B have your own answers. C. 10 fingers + 10 toes = 20. D. You can count up to 10 on your fingers.
Pages 51–52 · Fingers and dice6 + 2 = 8 balls · 7 + 1 = 8
Let us count: A and B have your own answers. C. 10 fingers + 10 toes = 20. D. You can count up to 10 on your fingers.
Add and find the winner
✅ AnswerFingers: 4 + 3 = 7 · 3 + 2 = 5 · 5 + 3 = 8 · 4 + 0 = 4 · 4 + 4 = 8
Dice: A. Kishore 5 + 1 = 6, Nitya 4 + 1 = 5 → Kishore · B. Kishore 2 + 2 = 4, Nitya 2 + 5 = 7 → Nitya · C. Kishore 1 + 4 = 5, Nitya 4 + 4 = 8 → Nitya · D. Kishore 3 + 1 = 4, Nitya 2 + 3 = 5 → Nitya · E. Kishore 4 + 2 = 6, Nitya 4 + 3 = 7 → Nitya
Kishore won 1 time and Nitya won 4 times.
Pages 53–55 · Beads, hops, and your own wayDice: A. Kishore 5 + 1 = 6, Nitya 4 + 1 = 5 → Kishore · B. Kishore 2 + 2 = 4, Nitya 2 + 5 = 7 → Nitya · C. Kishore 1 + 4 = 5, Nitya 4 + 4 = 8 → Nitya · D. Kishore 3 + 1 = 4, Nitya 2 + 3 = 5 → Nitya · E. Kishore 4 + 2 = 6, Nitya 4 + 3 = 7 → Nitya
Kishore won 1 time and Nitya won 4 times.
Find the sum
✅ AnswerBeads: A. 3 + 4 = 7 · B. 4 + 2 = 6 · C. 5 + 4 = 9 · D. 2 + 7 = 9 · E. 7 + 3 = 10
Hops: 4 + 2 = 6 · 3 + 2 = 5 · 5 + 3 = 8 · 6 + 3 = 9
Your own way: 2 + 3 = 5 · 5 + 1 = 6 · 3 + 3 = 6 · 9 + 1 = 10
Page 56 · Number pairs and matchingHops: 4 + 2 = 6 · 3 + 2 = 5 · 5 + 3 = 8 · 6 + 3 = 9
Your own way: 2 + 3 = 5 · 5 + 1 = 6 · 3 + 3 = 6 · 9 + 1 = 10
Fill the circles
✅ Answer8: the missing pairs are 4 + 4 and 6 + 2 · 5: 1 + 4, 2 + 3, 3 + 2, 4 + 1 · 7: 4 + 3, 3 + 4, 2 + 5 (and 7 + 0) · 9: 8 + 1, 7 + 2, 6 + 3, 5 + 4, 4 + 5 (and 0 + 9)
Match: 1 + 4 → 5 → 3 + 2 · 6 + 3 → 9 → 5 + 4 · 5 + 2 → 7 → 3 + 4 · 0 + 6 → 6 → 4 + 2
Project (sum 9): for example 4 + 5 · 2 + 3 + 4 · 1 + 8 (also 0 + 9, 2 + 7, 3 + 6, 1 + 2 + 6, 1 + 3 + 5…)
Page 57 · Addition storiesMatch: 1 + 4 → 5 → 3 + 2 · 6 + 3 → 9 → 5 + 4 · 5 + 2 → 7 → 3 + 4 · 0 + 6 → 6 → 4 + 2
Project (sum 9): for example 4 + 5 · 2 + 3 + 4 · 1 + 8 (also 0 + 9, 2 + 7, 3 + 6, 1 + 2 + 6, 1 + 3 + 5…)
Solve
✅ AnswerA. 4 + 5 = 9 shells · B. 3 + 6 = 9 marbles · C. 3 + 4 = 7 coconuts
“Our bags” have your own answers.
Think and do: put 3, 2, 1 along each dotted line. Top row: 3, 1, 2 · left column: 3, 1, 2 · diagonal: 3, 2, 1. Each line adds up to 6.
Pages 58–59 · Five little children“Our bags” have your own answers.
Think and do: put 3, 2, 1 along each dotted line. Top row: 3, 1, 2 · left column: 3, 1, 2 · diagonal: 3, 2, 1. Each line adds up to 6.
Let us talk
✅ AnswerA. 5 · B. 1 · C. 4 · D. 3. After the 3rd stand: 2, after the 4th: 1, after the 5th: 0 · E. 0 (none)
Pages 60–61 · How many left?Take away
✅ AnswerA. i. 6 − 2 = 4 frogs left · ii. 2 balloons flew away, 7 − 2 = 5 · iii. 9 − 6 = 3 bananas left
B. i. 3 pots, 1 broke, 2 left: 3 − 1 = 2 · ii. 7 − 4 = 3 laddoos · iii. All 7 balls were taken, so 7 − 7 = 0 left
C. i. 9 − 3 = 6 bananas · ii. 8 − 5 = 3 butterflies
Pages 62–63 · Hidden dots and hops backB. i. 3 pots, 1 broke, 2 left: 3 − 1 = 2 · ii. 7 − 4 = 3 laddoos · iii. All 7 balls were taken, so 7 − 7 = 0 left
C. i. 9 − 3 = 6 bananas · ii. 8 − 5 = 3 butterflies
Subtract
✅ AnswerHidden dots: 6 visible → 4 hidden · 5 visible → 5 hidden · 4 visible → 6 hidden (hidden + visible = 10)
Hop back: 9 − 3 = 6 · 7 − 4 = 3
A. 8 − 2 = 6 · B. 7 − 3 = 4 · C. 9 − 5 = 4 · D. 6 − 3 = 3 · E. 5 − 1 = 4 · F. 4 − 2 = 2
Hop back: 9 − 3 = 6 · 7 − 4 = 3
A. 8 − 2 = 6 · B. 7 − 3 = 4 · C. 9 − 5 = 4 · D. 6 − 3 = 3 · E. 5 − 1 = 4 · F. 4 − 2 = 2
👨👩👧 Tips for Parents
- Make up number stories at mealtime: “3 rotis, and I add 2 more…”
- Roll two dice and add the dots together.
- Use a number line drawn on the floor to hop forward (add) and back (take away).