Max Rescues the Flying Carpet Kingdom: Adding Tens

About this Grade 2 Adding Multiples Of 10 Drill

Adding multiples of 10 is a cornerstone skill that helps second graders recognize patterns and build mental math flexibility. When children understand that 20 + 30 is really just 2 tens plus 3 tens, they're developing number sense that makes all future addition easier. This skill directly supports their ability to add larger numbers, since they'll eventually break apart numbers like 24 + 35 into tens and ones. At ages 7 and 8, students' brains are ready to see these patterns, moving beyond counting on fingers toward thinking in groups. Mastering multiples of 10 also builds confidence—these problems feel manageable because there are no ones to worry about, giving kids a sense of accomplishment. This foundation makes word problems, money counting, and even skip-counting by tens feel natural rather than confusing.

What your student will practice

• Recognize and identify multiples of 10 up to 100
• Add two multiples of 10 using mental math strategies
• Apply tens knowledge to solve addition problems quickly
• Explain addition of multiples of 10 using tens language

Common mistakes to watch for

The most common error is when students count by ones instead of by tens. For example, they might count "10, 11, 12..." instead of "10, 20, 30..." when solving 10 + 20. You'll spot this if they're taking much longer than expected or writing tally marks. Another frequent mistake is forgetting the zero at the end—writing 3 + 4 = 7 and thinking that applies to 30 + 40, then answering 7 instead of 70. Watch for answers that are missing the zero.