Estimate Sums and Differences in Year 6

Are your year 5 students working on refining their estimation skills? Maybe you have moved on from estimating whole numbers to working with estimating decimals. Teach Starter has developed an estimation resource you can use with your students in your classroom! This resource aims to practise estimating sums and differences between decimal amounts.

The worksheet is broken into five sections. Students can complete one section at a time, get it checked by the teacher before moving on and colour in their progress bar as they complete each portion. The sections include addition, subtraction, error analysis, fill-in-the-blank sentences and word problems.

Answer pages are included with your download to make marking fast and easy!  

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

In addition to independent student work time, use this worksheet as an activity for:

• guided maths groups
• lesson wrap-up
• fast finishers 
• homework assignment
• whole-class review (via smartboard).

If students need a challenge, ask them to write a multi-step equation, including decimals with an estimated solution for every number between 1 and 100! For example, 0.7 + 0.9 – 0.75 has an estimated total of 1.

Students who may need additional support can complete this activity in a one-on-one setting or with a small group. Provide completed examples, notes, and a calculator as needed.

🖨️ Easily Download & Print

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or editable PowerPoint or Google Slides version of this resource. 

To save paper, we suggest printing this 2-page worksheet double-sided. 

Additionally, project the worksheet onto a screen and work through it as a class by having students record their answers in their notebooks. 

This resource was created by Lorin Davies, a Teach Starter Collaborator.