Addition as Combining Examples in Math

Start with the recap, study the fully worked examples, then use the practice problems to check your understanding of Addition as Combining.

This page combines explanation, solved examples, and follow-up practice so you can move from recognition to confident problem-solving in Math.

Concept Recap

Understanding addition as the act of joining or combining two or more quantities to form a larger whole amount. This model helps students see addition as a physical action rather than an abstract rule.

When you pour two cups of water together, you get their combined amount.

Read the full concept explanation →

How to Use These Examples

  • Read the first worked example with the solution open so the structure is clear.
  • Try the practice problems before revealing each solution.
  • Use the related concepts and background knowledge badges if you feel stuck.

What to Focus On

Core idea: Combining sees addition as physically joining separate quantities into a single combined amount.

Common stuck point: The procedure for addition as combining is the easy part; the trap is counting the parts again after combining. Asking "Are two real parts being physically joined into a single whole?" first is what keeps a correct-looking calculation from being attached to the wrong concept.

Sense of Study hint: Ask: Are two real parts being physically joined into a single whole?

Worked Examples

Example 1

easy
There are 4 yellow crayons in one box and 3 blue crayons in another box. If you put all the crayons together, how many crayons do you have?

Answer

7 crayons

First step

1
Think of combining: put the 4 yellow and 3 blue crayons into one group.

Full solution

  1. 2
    Write: 4+3=?4 + 3 = ?
  2. 3
    Count all together: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
  3. 4
    There are 7 crayons in all.
Addition as combining means joining two separate groups into one big group. The total tells us how many there are altogether.

Example 2

medium
Group A has 5 stickers. Group B has 8 stickers. You combine both groups. How many stickers are there in all?

Example 3

easy
You see 1 cat. Your sister has 2 cats. You put the cats together. How many cats?

Example 4

easy
2 birds sit on a branch. 2 more birds come. How many birds on the branch?

Example 5

medium
You have 2 apples. Mom gives you 2 more. How many apples?

Example 6

easy
Jay has 5 toy cars in his pocket and 3 cars in his bag. How many cars does Jay have altogether?

Example 7

easy
Liam has 8 stickers and his sister gives him 2 more. How many stickers does Liam have?

Example 8

medium
Owen sees 7 ants near the rock and 1 ant near the leaf. How many ants does Owen see in all?

Example 9

easy
Mia and Leo each bring some apples for the class. Mia brings 7 and Leo brings 5. How many apples did they bring together?

Example 10

easy
Mr. Lee has 9 markers on his desk and 11 in the drawer. He empties the drawer onto the desk. How many markers are on the desk now?

Example 11

hard
Liam picks 8 strawberries. Then he picks 6 more. Then his sister gives him 5. He drops them all in one basket. How many strawberries are in the basket?

Example 12

easy
A juice stand sold 47 cups of lemonade in the morning and 26 cups in the afternoon. The owner wants to know the day's combined total. How many cups were sold in all?

Example 13

easy
Sara saved \$23 last month and \$45 this month. She combines all her savings into one jar. How much money is in the jar now?

Example 14

hard
Two classes pool their canned-food donations into one bin. Class A brings 48 cans and Class B brings 37. The combined goal is 100 cans. How many cans have they collected so far, and how many more cans do they still need to reach 100?

Practice Problems

Try these problems on your own first, then open the solution to compare your method.

Example 1

easy
You have 2 dogs and your friend has 6 dogs. How many dogs are there in all when you combine your groups?

Example 2

medium
A farmer has 9 cows in one field and 7 cows in another field. The farmer opens the gate and the cows join together. How many cows are there now?

Example 3

easy
You have 33 red blocks and 22 blue blocks. How many blocks in all?

Example 4

easy
A plate has 44 cookies. You add 33 more. How many cookies now?

Example 5

easy
Combine a group of 33 and a group of 00. How many?

Example 6

easy
There are 55 ducks in a pond and 44 on the grass. How many ducks total?

Example 7

easy
You have 22 apples and 33 oranges. How many pieces of fruit in all?

Example 8

easy
A box has 66 crayons. You put in 22 more. How many now?

Example 9

easy
Tom read 33 pages, then 55 pages. How many pages did he read in total?

Example 10

easy
Group A has 77 children and group B has 11. How many children altogether?

Example 11

medium
A basket holds 88 red and 66 green apples; you add 44 yellow apples. How many apples in all?

Example 12

medium
A garden has 1212 roses and 99 tulips. How many flowers in all?

Example 13

medium
A shelf has 1414 books. You add 77 more, then 00 more. How many books now?

Example 14

medium
Sara had some stickers, got 55 more, and now has 1212. How many did she start with?

Example 15

medium
A bus has 99 riders. At one stop 44 get on and 00 get off. How many riders now?

Example 16

medium
Three friends bring 44, 55, and 55 marbles to a game. What is the combined total?

Example 17

medium
A class has 1010 boys and 1313 girls. How many students, and is the total bigger than either group?

Example 18

medium
Two ribbons measure 77 cm and 88 cm. Laid end to end, how long are they together?

Example 19

medium
A piggy bank has 1515 coins. You add 66, then add 99. How many coins now?

Example 20

challenge
A whole equals 2020. One part is 77 and another part is 55. What is the third part?

Example 21

challenge
Two groups combine to 1414. If one group has 44 more than the other, how many are in each?

Example 22

challenge
Counting up: start at 66 and combine groups of 33 four times. What total do you reach?

Example 23

easy
You have 2 red bears. You have 1 blue bear. Put them together. How many bears?

Example 24

easy
🐟🐟 in one bowl and 🐟🐟🐟 in another bowl. Pour them together. How many fish?

Example 25

easy
🌟🌟🌟 and 🌟🌟. Put them in one box. How many stars?

Example 26

medium
You have 3 blocks. You get 1 more block. How many blocks now?

Example 27

hard
You have 2 stickers. Your friend gives you 2. Then Mom gives you 1. How many stickers in one pile?

Example 28

easy
Mia has 4 red marbles and 3 green marbles. How many marbles does she have in all?

Example 29

easy
There are 6 ducks in the pond and 4 on the grass. How many ducks in all?

Example 30

easy
Two plates have cookies. One plate has 2 cookies and the other has 7. How many cookies altogether?

Example 31

medium
A box has 6 crackers. You put in 0 more crackers. How many crackers are in the box?

Example 32

medium
A basket has 5 lemons and 5 limes. How many pieces of fruit are in the basket?

Example 33

easy
Sam has 9 baseball cards and his brother has 8. They put their cards into one pile. How many cards are in the pile?

Example 34

easy
Compute the combined total of two groups: 8+68 + 6.

Example 35

easy
A jar has 13 blue beads and 6 red beads mixed inside. How many beads are in the jar?

Example 36

medium
Two ribbons are laid end to end. One is 6 cm and the other is 8 cm. What is the combined length?

Example 37

medium
Three friends share a bag of candies. They bring 4, 6, and 5 candies and pour them together. How many candies are in the shared bag?

Example 38

easy
A library shelf holds 42 fiction books and 35 nonfiction books. The librarian counts the shelf as one collection. How many books are on the shelf in total?

Example 39

easy
Compute the combined total of two parts: 56+2856 + 28.

Example 40

easy
Two ropes are tied end to end. One rope is 38 cm long and the other is 24 cm long. What is the combined length?

Example 41

medium
A pet store has 67 goldfish in one tank and 58 in another. The owner pours both tanks into a big aquarium. How many goldfish are in the aquarium?

Example 42

medium
A farmer has 45 sheep in the north pasture and 39 in the south pasture. He opens the gate and the flocks combine into one. How many sheep are in the combined flock?
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Background Knowledge

These ideas may be useful before you work through the harder examples.

counting