Portfolio 4

Explain how to do the following problem using each of the alternative algorithms for
addition. ("Adding up", "partial sums", and "lattice method"). Include an explanation of
why each method works. 437 + 829
Adding up:
12
437 /
+

829

437

12 5
/

+ 829
12

437 /
+ 829

12 6 6
437
+ 829
6

This method is like doing the standard algorithm but backwards. You are working from
left to right.
First you add the hundreds values. So you are adding 400 + 800 to get 1200.
Second you move to the tens place. You add 30+20 and get 50. Since this does not go
over the value of 100, you do not need to transfer any value to the hundred place.
Third and last, you add the ones place which is 7 ones + 9 ones. You end up with 1 ten
and 6 ones. You must transfer that ten to the tens place to get 6 tens or 60.
You combine all the place values and end up with 12 hundred, 6 tens and 6 ones
(1,266).
This method works because the student is able to group the hundreds, tens, and ones
place. The student can add up each place value.
Partial Sums:
437
+

829
16

7+9

50

30 + 20

1200

400 + 800

1266
The Partial Sums method can be used to compute 437 + 829. The first step is to add
the numbers in the ones place, 7 + 9 which equals 16 so you write that below the line.
Then you add the numbers in the tens place which are 3 and 2. However, these
numbers are actually 20 and 30 since they are in the tens place. 20 + 30 = 50 so you

write that on the bottom as well. Finally, you add the numbers in the hundreds place.
400 + 800 = 1200. The last step is to add the separate sums of each place value to
obtain the final answer. 16 + 50 + 1200 = 1266.
This method of addition works because it adds the numbers in each place value one at
a time, similar to the standard algorithm. However instead of writing the sums straight
across, you write them vertically to make a new addition problem. It becomes easier to
add in this way because you do not have to worry about having to move numbers over
to the tens or hundreds place if you have too many units in the ones place or in the tens
place.
Lattice:

We can use Lattice to compute 437+829. The first thing we need to do is to set up the
problem. To do this we set up the standard addition problem and add up the place
values. First we add up the ones place and we have 7+9= 16. We put the 1 in the top
box and the 6 in the bottom box. The reason for this is because we can take 10 out of
16 so we put a 1 in the tens spot of the box and then we have 6 ones left. Next we add
the tens spot which is 3+2=5. We can think of this as 30+20 because its in the tens
place and since we have can take out 5 10 we put a 5 in the tens box and then we put a
0 in the top box since we have nothing left over. Now we add the hundreds place which
is 4+8=12. We can think of this one as 400+800 which would equal 1200. Now we can
take out 1000 so we put a 1 in the top box and we have 200 left over so we put a 2 in
the hundreds spot. Now we add diagonally down for each of the columns. we have 1 in
the thousands spot, 2 in the hundreds spot, 6 in the tens spot and 6 in the ones spot.
Therefore our answer is 1266.
The reason this way works is because we are adding the place values straight down but
writing the answer in the different boxes for each value. This way makes it easy to see
what you are adding for each place value.