Grade K · Operations & Algebraic Thinking
Make 10 with Ten Frames
Use a ten frame to see how many more are needed to make 10.
See the filled and empty spaces
A ten frame has exactly ten spaces. If seven are filled, three are empty. That picture immediately shows 7 + 3 = 10.
Use the relationship mentally
Knowing pairs that make 10 helps with larger calculations. For example, 8 + 5 can be thought of as 8 + 2 + 3 = 13.
Key terms
Words to know
- Ten frame
- A 2-by-5 grid that helps visualize quantities up to ten.
- Complement to 10
- The amount needed to bring a number up to 10.
- Make 10
- Combine two parts whose total is 10.
Interactive math lab · ⭐ stars
Change it. See it. Understand it.
Fill the ten frame with stars and notice how many empty spaces remain.
| Filled | 7 |
|---|---|
| Empty | 3 |
| Total | 10 |
Worked examples
See the idea in action.
Seven filled spaces leave three empty spaces.
Four and six are complements to ten.
Guided practice
Work through 20 questions, one step at a time.
Choose an answer, check your reasoning, then move forward. Your score updates as you go.
Which statement is true about 3 + 5 and 5 + 3?
Curriculum reference
Built as a continuous K–12 progression.
The sequence follows widely used K–12 mathematics progressions and references the Common Core mathematics framework. Explanations, examples, interactive models, and practice questions are original FreeLearnHub material.