A part part whole mat is a simple picture tool that helps children see how numbers can be made and broken apart. The two smaller spaces are the parts, and the larger space is the whole. When the parts join together, they make the whole number.
This helps young learners build a strong understanding of addition and subtraction.
Key Facts
- part + part = whole
- whole - part = other part
- If one part is 3 and the other part is 2, then the whole is 5.
- If the whole is 8 and one part is 5, then the other part is 3.
- The same whole can be split in different ways, such as 6 = 1 + 5, 6 = 2 + 4, and 6 = 3 + 3.
- A part part whole mat can show addition and subtraction with counters, drawings, or numbers.
Vocabulary
- Part
- A part is one smaller group that helps make a whole.
- Whole
- A whole is the total amount made when all parts are put together.
- Join
- To join means to put parts together to make a bigger group.
- Split
- To split means to break a whole into smaller parts.
- Total
- The total is the number of objects altogether.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Putting the whole in a part space is wrong because the whole is the total, not one smaller group.
- Adding only one part is wrong because both parts must be joined to find the whole.
- Forgetting that parts can be different sizes is wrong because a whole can split into many pairs of parts.
- Counting the same counter twice is wrong because each object should be counted one time when finding the whole.
Practice Questions
- 1 There are 4 red counters in one part and 3 blue counters in the other part. How many counters are in the whole?
- 2 The whole is 9 counters. One part has 6 counters. How many counters are in the other part?
- 3 A child moves 2 counters from the whole space into one part and 5 counters into the other part. Explain how the mat shows that the whole was split into two parts.