Grade 1 - Math

Grade 1 Missing Numbers in Equations Worksheet

6 printable versions - Building Confidence - About 6 minutes each

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Missing Numbers in Equations

Grade 1 - Math - Building Confidence

Worksheet 1

  1. 1 + ____ = 5

    A part-part-whole bar model.A bar model. The top bar is the whole and the bars below it are the 2 parts. Empty boxes mark the values to be found.51

  2. ____ + 3 = 9

  3. 8 - ____ = 1

  4. ____ = 4 + 2

  5. 1 + ____ = 4

    A part-part-whole bar model.A bar model. The top bar is the whole and the bars below it are the 2 parts. Empty boxes mark the values to be found.41

  6. ____ + 6 = 10

  7. 6 - ____ = 5

  8. ____ = 8 + 1

  9. 4 + ____ = 6

    A part-part-whole bar model.A bar model. The top bar is the whole and the bars below it are the 2 parts. Empty boxes mark the values to be found.64

  10. ____ + 3 = 8

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About this worksheet

Finding a missing number in an equation is the first real algebra a child meets, and it quietly changes what the equals sign means to them. Most first graders read the equals sign as an instruction meaning write the answer here, so a question like 7 + ___ = 12 confuses them, and a question written as ___ = 5 + 4 looks broken or backwards. This worksheet puts the blank in every position on purpose, including before the equals sign, so your child learns that the symbol means both sides are worth the same amount. Part-whole bar models appear on several questions to make that relationship visible rather than abstract. If your child is stuck, ask which number is the whole and which part is already known, then count on from the part to the whole.

What your child will learn

  • Find a missing number in an addition or subtraction equation
  • Solve equations with the blank in any position
  • Understand the equals sign as balance, not as an instruction
  • Use a part-whole model to find an unknown part

Worked example

For 7 + ___ = 12, the whole is 12 and one part is 7. Count on from 7 to 12: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 — that is 5 more. The missing number is 5.

Common mistake

Reading 7 + ___ = 12 as 7 + 12 and writing 19, because the equals sign is treated as a command.

Helpful hint

Ask yourself which number is the whole and which part you already know.

Subtraction Within 20Measurement, Time, and Data

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with missing numbers in equations?
Reading 7 + ___ = 12 as 7 + 12 and writing 19, because the equals sign is treated as a command.
How can I help my child with missing numbers in equations?
Ask yourself which number is the whole and which part you already know.
Are these 1st grade math worksheets free to print?
Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

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