For this topic the students may use a calculator to help check their

answers. This topic is about calculating complements. A complement of a

number is the difference between it and the next multiple of ten. Using a calculator for this will
help the students decide what operation needs to be performed. Another tool that may help with
this activity is using a number grid. This skill will use knowledge of basic math facts and fact
families to complete. Knowing basic math facts fluently will help because students will be able
to recall quickly the number that is need in either addition or subtraction.

Lets try the first one together
Type the number 4 on your calculator. How can you change that number to the number
10 without just typing the number 10? The first thing to think is, is the number 10 greater than or
less than 4? It is greater than 4, so you should know that you are going to have to add. How
much do you need to add to the number 4 to make it 10? 6. Clear your calculator for the next
one.
The complement in this problem would be the 6 because that is the missing number to
add up to 6. Finding the complement in this problem helped the students decide which operation
to use and also helped the students practice their math facts.

Lets try another one
Type the number 80 into your calculator. How can you change this number to the number
73? The first thing to think is, is the number 80 greater than or less than the number 73? The
number 80 is greater than the number 73 so, I know I will have to subtract. What operation do
you have to preform to make the number smaller? subtraction. How much do you need to
subtract to make the number equal 73? 7. If I know my math facts I know that 3 is 7 away from
the number 10 so I also know that 73 is 7 away from 80.

Now you try a few

Enter 80. Change it to 38. What did you do?

Enter 46. Change it to 60. What did you do?

Enter 800. Change it to 400. What did you do?

Knowing simple math facts is a very important skill in the third grade. Most of the
lessons that we learn build upon the knowledge of simple math. Being able to find the
complement with a calculator can be challenging for the students because they do not have
experience doing it. Just remember keep practicing those math facts and all of these skills will
get much easier.