Ollie Borrows a Ten!
Not enough units? Borrow a ten! Ollie shows the TENS and UNITS columns, borrows ONE TEN and breaks it into TEN UNITS to solve 62 − 17, then checks the answer by adding.
Borrow one ten = ten units
The left column is TENS and the right column is UNITS (also called ones). The 6 in 62 means 6 tens, which is sixty. When the top units digit is too small, borrow ONE TEN from the tens column: it becomes TEN UNITS.
Units first
62 − 17: 2 units take away 7 units? Not enough units!
Borrow a ten
6 tens become 5 tens. The borrowed ten becomes 10 units, so 2 units become 12 units.
Take away, then check
12 − 7 = 5 units and 5 tens − 1 ten = 4 tens (forty), so the answer is 45. Check by adding: 45 + 17 = 62. ✅
🎵 Not enough units? Borrow a ten! Break the stick, and count again! Ten little units jump right in! Now take away. You're sure to win!
The Borrow-a-Ten workbook
Eight low-ink pages for ages 5 to 7. Print at home on Letter paper and practise with a pencil and crayons.
- Warm-up sums with no borrowing (with tally boxes)
- Cross out base-ten pictures and use the trade box
- 12 borrowing sums with boxes for the new numbers
- Check by adding and Ollie's bakery word problems
- Colour by answer, a certificate and answers for grown-ups
Borrow-a-Ten Bakery
Unpack a box of 10 cupcakes to fill each order. Start with easy orders, then borrowing, then bakery stories. Earn stars and stickers!
Practise with Ollie
Endless practice! Every time you tap Next you get a new sum. Earn stars as you go. TENS are blue, UNITS are orange.
⭐ My stars: 0
1. Tens & Units warm-up
What is each digit worth? Count the sticks and cubes. How much are 3 tens?
2. Borrow a ten!
Step by step: Ollie helps with every step. Or try it on your own!
3. Big quiz: 15 questions
Tap an answer or type it. A new quiz every time!
4. Word problems
24 story sums from the bakery, the forest, the farm, coins and the playground. Work it out, then tap to check.
5. Check it by adding
Add the answer to the bottom number. If you get the top number, it's right!
6. Printable extra practice
3 pages: 24 borrowing sums, 10 word problems and check-by-adding, plus an answer key for grown-ups.
Borrow or no borrow?
Work it out on paper or with blocks, then tap the card to check.