Max Conquers the Lightning Storm: Math Speed Race

About this Grade 1 Mixed Add Subtract Drill

At age 6 and 7, children are beginning to understand that addition and subtraction are related operations—not isolated skills. Mixed-add-subtract problems help students see math as flexible thinking rather than following a single procedure. When a child solves 5 + 3 - 2, they practice holding multiple steps in mind, switching between operations, and checking their work. This flexibility builds a strong foundation for word problems later and trains the brain to think strategically rather than mechanically. Students who master mixed operations develop better number sense and confidence when math becomes more complex. These drills also mirror real life: a child might start with 5 toys, gain 3 more, then give away 2—understanding the sequence of events mathematically is a crucial early skill.

What your student will practice

• Solve addition and subtraction problems presented in sequence left to right
• Identify when to add versus subtract based on operation symbols
• Check answers by working backward or using known number facts
• Build automaticity with facts while managing two operations in one problem

Common mistakes to watch for

The most common error is that Grade 1 students treat mixed problems like two separate, unconnected problems rather than a sequence. For example, when solving 6 + 2 - 3, a child might add 6 + 2 correctly to get 8, but then forget to subtract 3 from 8, instead subtracting 3 from just the 2. Another frequent mistake is reversing the operations—solving 6 - 2 + 3 by subtracting instead of adding in the second step. You can spot this by asking your student to point to each symbol and say the word aloud ("plus, then minus") before solving, which slows them down enough to catch the switch.