Addition with Tens Units: Finding Number Pairs That Sum to 55

Q: Why can't I just use 50 + 50 since both are tens units?

Because $ 50 + 50 = 100 $, not 55! You need to think about place value - 55 has 5 tens and 5 ones, so you need $ 50 + 5 $.

Q: How do I know which tens unit to start with?

Find the largest tens unit that doesn't exceed your target number. For 55, that's 50 because 60 would be too big!

Q: What if the answer choices don't include the right combination?

Always work through the math first! Calculate $ 55 - 50 = 5 $, then look for $ 50 + 5 $ in the choices. Trust your calculations!

Place Value Addition with Tens Decomposition

Which addition exercise using tens units results in 55?

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Step-by-step written solution

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Understand the problem

Which addition exercise using tens units results in 55?

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we need to find an addition exercise using tens units that totals 55. Let's work through the steps:

Step 1: Identify the largest tens unit less than or equal to 55. The closest one is 50.
Step 2: Determine how much more is needed to reach 55. This is $55 - 50 = 5$ .
Step 3: Add the tens unit 50 and the additional units 5 together. This results in $50 + 5 = 55$ .

We conclude that the correct addition exercise is $50 + 5$ , which is option choice id="3".

Therefore, the solution to the problem is:

$50+5$

Final Answer

$50+5$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Break down target number into tens and ones components
Technique: Find largest tens unit first: 55 needs 50 + 5
Check: Verify tens units add correctly: 50 + 5 = 55 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding two complete tens units instead of decomposing
Don't add 50 + 50 = 100 when the target is 55! This ignores the ones place completely. Always break down the target number into its tens and ones components first.

Practice Quiz

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FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I just use 50 + 50 since both are tens units?

Because $50 + 50 = 100$ , not 55! You need to think about place value - 55 has 5 tens and 5 ones, so you need $50 + 5$ .

What does 'using tens units' actually mean?

It means using numbers like 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, etc. in your addition. These are multiples of 10 that help us understand place value better.

How do I know which tens unit to start with?

Find the largest tens unit that doesn't exceed your target number. For 55, that's 50 because 60 would be too big!

Can I use more than two numbers in my addition?

The question asks for an addition exercise, which typically means two numbers. Stick to finding one tens unit plus the remaining amount.

What if the answer choices don't include the right combination?

Always work through the math first! Calculate $55 - 50 = 5$ , then look for $50 + 5$ in the choices. Trust your calculations!

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