Summary
A math lesson on how addition and subtraction are opposite, or inverse, operations. Children see that 7 - 3 = 4 because 4 + 3 = 7, and use 'fact families' to check their work.
Viewer safety
All ages
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
After watching “Inverse Operations” together:
- How are addition and subtraction opposites?
- If 5 + 4 = 9, what subtraction fact can you make?
- How can adding help you check a subtraction answer?
Quick work-a-long
Words to know: inverse, opposite, add, subtract, fact family
Write the fact family for 3, 6, and 9 — two adding facts and two subtracting facts.