Show Your Work
Learn
When you solve a problem, it's important to show your work! This means drawing, writing, or showing the steps you took to find the answer.
What Does "Show Your Work" Mean?
Showing your work means letting people SEE how you solved a problem. You can draw pictures, write numbers, or show the steps you took!
Ways to Show Your Work
Draw circles, stars, or objects to count
Write the numbers as you count
Count on your fingers, then draw them
Use tally marks to count
Why Show Your Work?
- It helps YOU remember what you did
- It helps others understand your thinking
- If you make a mistake, you can find it!
- It shows you are a careful thinker!
Good Work vs. Just the Answer
Just the Answer
5
This doesn't show HOW you got the answer!
Showing Your Work
🍎🍎 + 🍎🍎🍎 = ?
2 + 3 = 5
This shows the problem AND the thinking!
Examples
Let's see how to show our work!
Example 1: Counting Objects
Problem: How many balls? (3 balls and 2 balls)
First group: ⚽⚽⚽ = 3 balls
Second group: ⚽⚽ = 2 balls
All together: 3 + 2 = 5 balls
What makes this good: Drew the objects, counted each group, then added!
Example 2: Using Tally Marks
Problem: Count to 7
| | | | | | | = 7
I made 7 lines, one for each number!
What makes this good: Used tally marks to count!
Example 3: Subtraction with Pictures
Problem: 5 birds. 2 fly away. How many are left?
Start with: 🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦 (5 birds)
Cross out 2: 🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦
Count what's left: 🐦🐦🐦 = 3 birds
What makes this good: Drew birds, crossed out the ones that left, counted what stayed!
Example 4: Comparing Numbers
Problem: Which is more, 4 or 6?
4: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6 has more stars, so 6 is more than 4!
What makes this good: Drew both amounts so we can SEE which is more!
Example 5: Pattern Problem
Problem: What comes next? Red, Blue, Red, Blue, ___
🔴🔵🔴🔵 ___
I see a pattern: red, blue, red, blue...
It keeps going red, blue. Next is 🔴 Red!
What makes this good: Wrote the pattern and explained the rule!
Practice Problems
Solve each problem and describe how you would show your work!
Problem 1
You have 2 cookies. Your friend gives you 3 more. How many cookies do you have now?
Show Answer
Work: Draw 🍪🍪 (my 2 cookies), then add 🍪🍪🍪 (3 more). Count all: 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪 = 5 cookies!
2 + 3 = 5
Problem 2
There are 6 ducks. 4 swim away. How many ducks are left?
Show Answer
Work: Draw 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆 (6 ducks). Cross out 4: 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆. Count what's left: 2 ducks!
6 - 4 = 2
Problem 3
Count: How many fingers on one hand?
Show Answer
Work: Draw ✋ and count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Write: | | | | | = 5 fingers!
Problem 4
Which is more: 3 apples or 5 apples?
Show Answer
Work: Draw 3: 🍎🍎🍎 and 5: 🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎. The 5 line is longer! 5 apples is more!
Problem 5
What comes next? Circle, Square, Circle, Square, ___
Show Answer
Work: Write: ⭕ ⬜ ⭕ ⬜ ___. Pattern: circle, square, circle, square. Next is ⭕ Circle!
Problem 6
1 cat + 1 cat + 1 cat = how many cats?
Show Answer
Work: Draw 🐱 + 🐱 + 🐱 = 🐱🐱🐱. Count: 1, 2, 3. 3 cats!
1 + 1 + 1 = 3
Problem 7
You see 4 birds in a tree. 1 flies away. Then 2 more come. How many birds now?
Show Answer
Work:
Start: 🐦🐦🐦🐦 (4 birds)
1 flies away: 🐦🐦🐦 (3 birds)
2 come: 🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦 (5 birds!)
4 - 1 + 2 = 5
Problem 8
Are these groups equal? ⭐⭐⭐ and ⭐⭐⭐
Show Answer
Work: Count first group: 1, 2, 3 = 3 stars. Count second group: 1, 2, 3 = 3 stars. 3 = 3, so YES, they are equal!
Problem 9
Show how to count from 1 to 5.
Show Answer
Work:
1 = |
2 = | |
3 = | | |
4 = | | | |
5 = | | | | |
Each number gets one more line!
Problem 10
Mom has 3 flowers. Dad gives her 4 more. Show your work to find how many flowers Mom has.
Show Answer
Work:
Mom's flowers: 🌸🌸🌸 (3)
Dad's flowers: 🌸🌸🌸🌸 (4)
All together: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 = 7 flowers!
3 + 4 = 7
Check Your Understanding
Show what you learned about showing your work!
Question 1
What does "show your work" mean?
Show Answer
It means letting people SEE how you solved a problem by drawing pictures, writing numbers, or showing the steps you took!
Question 2
Name 3 ways you can show your work.
Show Answer
You can: draw pictures, write numbers, use tally marks, or use your fingers! (Any 3!)
Question 3
Why is showing your work important?
Show Answer
It helps you remember what you did, helps others understand your thinking, and lets you find mistakes! It shows you are a careful thinker!
Question 4
What's better: just writing "5" or drawing 5 circles and writing "5"?
Show Answer
Drawing 5 circles and writing "5" is better! It shows HOW you got the answer, not just the answer!
Next Steps
Practice at Home!
- When you do math, always draw pictures to help you think
- Count objects around your house and draw them
- Use crayons to make your work colorful and fun
- Ask a parent: "Can I show you how I solved this?"