Operations with Whole Numbers

When doing operations with whole numbers, it is important to know that zero is the identity element of addition and 1 is the identity element of multiplication. What does that mean? When adding a zero to any number, the number’s identity stays the same – the zero does not change the number’s value. The same for when subtracting a zero from any number. The number will not change. Where 1 is the identity element of multiplication, it means that when you multiply any number with a 1, the number’s identity stays the same – the 1 does not change the number’s value. The same for when dividing a number by 1. The number will remain the same. When adding or subtracting whole numbers using the column method, always write the correct place values underneath each other and remember to carry over or go and borrow when necessary. The multiplication of numbers can be done in various ways. The most common way is the column method, but it can also be done with a lattice. Watch the video to see how easily you can get the answer when using a lattice. Remember when you divide, you should start from the left-hand side of the number, thus, the biggest place value. Beforehand, write down the first nine multiples of the divisor to be able to divide quickly.