How much is your phone number worth?

*Common Core Standards:

Number—Operations and the Problems They Solve 2-NOP
Addition and subtraction
1 1. Explain and justify properties of addition and subtraction, e.g., by using
0 representations such as objects, drawings, and story contexts. Include
properties such as:
0 a. Changing the order of addends does not change their sum.
1 d. In an addition equation, each addend can be decomposed and the
parts can be recombined in any order without changing the sum. For
example, 5 + 3 = 8. Because 5 decomposes as 4 + 1, the first addend
can be replaced by 4 + 1, yielding (4 + 1) + 3 = 8. Recombining in two
different orders: 4 + 4 = 8, also 7 + 1 = 8.

Describing situations and solving problems with addition and subtraction

1 2. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction within 100, e.g., by using
0 drawings or equations to represent the problem .
Number—Base Ten 2-NBT
Numbers up to 1000
1 4. Understand that when comparing three-digit numbers, if one number has more
0 hundreds, it is greater; if the amount of hundreds is the same in each
number, then the number with more tens is greater. If the amount of tens
and hundreds is the same in each number, then the number with more ones is
greater.

*Materials:
Student Phone Numbers

*Engagement:
Write your phone number down on a sheet of paper.
How many digits are in your phone number?
What about the area code?
Why do you think we have area codes?
Do we all have the same area codes? Why?
What about when you call a relative? Do they have the same area code?

*Exploration:
Day 1:
For today, let’s just look at our seven digit phone number. Each phone number is divided
into two parts – The three digit prefix followed by another group of four digits.
  If we look at the first prefix, what is the largest number possible we could have?
 What is the smallest possible number we could have?
 Let’s see who has the smallest prefix. (Write students prefixes on the board).
 Which prefix is the smallest?
 With your partner, arrange them from smallest to largest.
 Add the digits of each prefix together. What do you notice? Do they stay in the
same order? Why? Why not?
 Have students share how they found each sum. Focus on student strategies.
 Choose one of the sums and ask, Can you think of another prefix that would add up
to ______? How did you find your answer?
Day 2:
Write the following number on the board: 665-4231.
 If we add up all seven digits in this phone number, what sum would we get?
 How could you find the sum of these numbers? Try to find two different ways.
Record your thinking in your journal so that you can share how you found your
answer.
 After students find two ways to find the answer, have them share their solution
with someone sitting around them. Did you do it the same way or did you do it
differently?
 Gather students in the front of the room and have them share their solution
strategies.
 Focus the discussion on how students got the answers.

*Facilitating Questions:

 How do you know that is the largest possible number?

 How did you figure that out? Can you show me?

 How do you know that is the smallest?

 How did you arrange the numbers?

 Others listed above

*Assessment/Evaluation:

Observe students solution strategies. Take anecdotal notes of students’ solution

strategies.

 Have students complete the following page:

Name: Date:

Phone Numbers
Find the sum of your phone number.

Choose 2 other phone numbers. Fin the sum of the seven digits.

*Application/Expansions/ Extensions:

Have students find the sum of all ten digits.

Students can compare the sums of their phone numbers.

*Differentiation (Modifications for Diverse Learners):

 If students do not have a phone number, you can help them to make up one. Know

your students.

 Students may use concrete objects to find sums if necessary.

 ELL learners may need instruction in their native language or may work with a

partner. You may also need to provide language support throughout by helping with

unknown vocabulary words. Additionally, have these students share about numbers

in their own countries.

Diagrams/ Pictures/ Other

Reference:
Activity adapted from Tank & Zolli (2001). Telephone Number Totals (p. 1-8). Lessons for
Addition and Subtraction: Grades 2-3. Sausalito, CA.: Math Solutions.