Seven maths skills your child will learn in Year 3

Seven maths skills your child will learn in Year 3

Mathematics in Year 3 has more of a times-tables focus. Quick recall of the required 3, 4 and 8 times-tables (as well as the 2, 5 and 10 times-tables they’ve already learned in year 1 and 2) is important as they form the foundation for a large majority of the work the children will cover this year.

You will probably notice your child beginning to use column addition and subtraction of three-digit numbers, as well as learning about multiplication and division and using their times-tables knowledge. They will also cover fractions of quantities, equivalent fractions, angles, parallel and perpendicular lines, perimeter and shape.

1. Place value and adding/subtracting with 3 digits

As kids learn to count within 1,000, they’ll be looking at three-digit numbers more closely and identifying place value. Children will also start to do addition and subtraction up to 3 digits using the column method. 

At home: Help your child by asking how many ones, tens and hundreds are in three-digit numbers. Make up some word problems using your child's favorite toys or foods. 

2. Know the 3, 4 and 8 times tables.

In Year 2 children were introduced to the 2, 5 and 10 times tables and ideally they should be able to recall them all quite quickly. They will also learn the associated division facts for these times tables. 

At home: Put up a times table chart in your house and regularly practice these around the house and even on the way to school.

3. Multiply a 2 digit number by a 1 digit number 

Children would have been introduced to multiplying with arrays in Key Stage 1 so this will be expanded to simple multiplication. 

At home: Play multiplication games with cards and dice. 

4. Fractions of quantities and equivalent fractions

By now kids should be quite familiar with fractions and they will start to find a fraction of a given amount. They will also be able to recognise which fractions are equal to each other eg; 1/2 = 2/4 . They will also be introduced to simple addition and subtraction of fractions.

At home: Discuss how to find fractions of amounts - even when shopping look for signs that advertise ½ price and calculate how much the product would be.

5. Finding the length of perimeters

Your child will be familiar with measuring lengths from Year 2 so now they will be asked to measure and use addition to find the perimeter of simple 2D shapes.

At home: Give your child a measuring tape and the challenge of working out the perimeter of household objects.

6. 12 and 24 hour clock

In previous years, your child learned how to tell time to the nearest five minutes. In Year 3 they are ready to master the clock and will learn to tell time to the minute. They will also be able to recognise the difference between the 12 and 24 hour clock.

At home: Discuss the times of certain things such as TV shows, bedtime, dinner time etc. Use a TV guide for times which will also help reinforce AM and PM. 

7. Angles and lines

In Year 3, children will need to recognise right angles and to know that two right angles make a half turn, three make three-quarters of turn and four a complete turn. They need to identify whether angles are greater than or less than a right angle. They will also be introduced to different types of lines including horizontal, vertical, parallel and perpendicular. 

At home: Hunt for right angles in your house and when you are out and about. Identify different types of lines and angles in shapes you see.

Found this useful? Check out our year by year maths guides from Reception to Year 4.

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Find out more about Komodo and how it helps thousands of children each year do better at maths – you can even try Komodo for free. 

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