Table of Contents

Preface ......................................................................................................7
Introduction of contents and inventions .................................10
Why Chinese classic model word problems are included in this workbook?
?......................................................................................................12
Why is it important to do math puzzles? ?.....................................13
Prerequisites for students who want to use this workbook ......14
Computation ability assessment , ..................................15
Numerical ability assessment ..............................................................22
Grade 1 math ability assessment ...........................................23
Part 1 Intelligent math basics worksheets, smart computation, and speedy
computation..................................................................................................26
Part 1 , , .......................................................................26
Intelligent math basics worksheets ............................................28
Why integrated worksheets are better? ?.......................30
Chess Pieces and their mathematical values ...............................................31
Chess pieces names and moves ..............................................................32
One worksheet fits all grades ..........................................................34
Knight moves to make 10 ............................................................................... 35
High performance multi-digit addition ................................................37
Computing additions through math and chess integrated puzzle ................38
Addition and subtraction by link ..................................................................40
Picking your own number ...................................................................................41
Math, chess, and puzzles integrated problem .......................................42
Buildings ......................................................................................................... 42
Number relations in robotic form .................................................................43
Spatial relation and logic ..........................................................................44
Adding with convergent thinking ().....................................................45
Chess intersection and set .................................................................46
Chessboard and coordinates ........................................................................48
Doubling and difference of 2 2......................................................................49
The least and the largest, even and odd, sum and average , ,
............................................................................................................................ 50
Number relationships ...................................................................................... 51
Consecutive numbers ......................................................................................... 53
Paired whole numbers ..................................................................................55
Addition and subtraction by link .....................................................................57
Reverse addition and subtraction ...................................................................59
Frankho Abacus Math ................................................................................... 60
Math and chess integrated addition ......................................................61
Multiplication, addition, and subtraction ............................................................63
Memory and computation training ..................................................................64
Learning multiplication and division ......................................................................65
Magic square and chess ().......................................................66
Multiplication using partial figure and spatial relation ...........................67
multiplication (order of operation) ............................................................70
Learning division from multiplication (Concept used for % and getting one factor)
.................................................................................................................................. 71
Division and remainder ...................................................................................72
Division with minimum quotient and no remainder ............................73
dd divided by dd ................................................................................. 74
Commutative law ...............................................................................76
Addition and subtraction facts ...................................................78
1

Partitioning a sum ................................................................................81

Mixed Computation .........................................................................85
Adding numbers in expanded form ................................................89
Mixed Computations with parentheses ..........................................91
Mixed Computations .................................................................................... 94
Adding numbers ending in 8 or 9 8 9 ....................................................95
Skillful adding ........................................................................................................ 98
Speedy math using shortcuts ................................................................................ 99
Speedy math using shortcuts (addition and subtraction) .............................100
Adding 5s multiples 5 ..................................................................................103
Part 2 Chinese classic model word problems and others.................................111
Part 2 ...................................................................111
Telling time .....................................................................................112
Calendar problems .............................................................................121
Column and row additions ........................................................122
Placing numbers in empty spaces .......................................124
Find out the values of A, B, and C. A, B, C............................................129
Finding missing umbers addition ..............................................130
Finding missing numbers

subtraction ..................................134

One drawable graph ........................................................................137

Counting paths by counting on the dots ......................................139
Match sticks math ......................................................................145
Moving Match sticks math .............................................................145
Match sticks figures ................................................................................... 153
Match sticks number math ........................................................................154
Age problem .................................................................................157
Lineup problems .................................................................................163
Even and odd numbers .....................................................................165
Geometry ...........................................................................................170
shapes ................................................................................................................. 170
What kind of lines does each picture have? , , ....................................171
Missing part of a figure or dividing a figure .........................................173
Name of lines ................................................................................................ 175
Angles and its classification ....................................................................176
Rectangle, square, and their prisms ....................................................................178
Dividing shapes ............................................................................................. 182
Line Segment Diagram .....................................................................186
Give and Take problem ..................................................................197
Given amount = half of difference =....................................................199
Amount given = half of the difference =..................................199
Relationships of two quantities .............................................201
Give and Take ................................................................................................ 205
Sum and difference ....................................................................................... 206
Addition and subtraction ............................................................................... 210
Sum and Difference variations ................................................216
Adding numbers in table .....................................................................217
2

Counting figures and angles ......................................................................218

Sequence ...........................................................................................219
Arrangement ......................................................................................221
Equation ............................................................................................225
Finding Pattern ...............................................................................226
Number pattern ............................................................................................ 226
Pattern and relation (Tabulation) T-.............................................................232
Shape pattern ............................................................................................... 243
Figure pattern ............................................................................................... 244
Connected pattern shapes ......................................................................246
Puzzle pattern ............................................................................................... 248
Chess pattern ..................................................................................249
Pythagoras triangle ....................................................................................250
Fibonacci number ....................................................................................... 252
Inequality ........................................................................................254
Part 3 Problem solving strategies..................................................................258
Part 3 ...............................................................................................258
Wording can make problems complicated .................................259
Scale Problem............................................................................................................. 260
Using diagrams or tables ....................................................261
Line Segment Diagram ..................................................................................... 261
T-table T-.................................................................................................................. 262
Give and Take ................................................................................................ 263
Chickens and Rabbits problem ......................................................................265
Tree diagram .................................................................................................... 266
Forward and Backwards (Reverse) calculation ...........................269
Reverse subtraction ...................................................................................... 286
Reverse multiplication .................................................................................. 287
Reverse Division ........................................................................................... 289
Substitution method ........................................................................295
Scale problems - making each weight scale balanced ............................296
Marking or writing answers while reading .................................304
Coding .............................................................................................................. 308
Using a sample or small number to solve gap or tree planting problems

...............................................................................................312

Part 4 Fun Math IQ Puzzles including Frankho ChessDoku and Frankho Maze....315
Part 4 IQ .....................................................................315
Matrix reasoning ........................................................................316
Cognitive math IQ test preparing ()...................336
Frankho ChessDoku ........................................................................345
Frankho ChessMaze .................................................................352
Square grid math and puzzles .....................................................356
3 by 3 Sudoku ............................................................................................... 356
4 by 4 Sudoku ............................................................................................... 358
Finding intersections ..................................................................................... 359
Finding reflections ............................................................................................ 360
Frankho unequal ChessDoku ............................................................361
Matching the number of cherries .........................................................362
Matching math operators ..................................................................363
Square grid math 2 by 2 ......................................................................364
Sudoku math ....................................................................................................... 366
Fencing ............................................................................................................. 367
Amandaho moving dots .................................................................................... 368
Connecting rooks ................................................................................................ 369
Integrated math, chess, and puzzles ......................................370
IQ math puzzles ............................................................................................ 371
Future math star ........................................................................................... 403
Rising star ..................................................................................................... 406
Four coloured map ........................................................................................ 417
Virtual cell phone operating math ....................................................419
Virtual toy cube math .......................................................................424
Cube math transformation ......................................................................429
Math IQ fitness puzzles IQ .............................................................437
Part 5 English word problems........................................................................457
Part 5 .........................................................................................457
Basic word problems ................................................................458
Addition word problems.............................................................................................. 458
Addition word problems.............................................................................................. 461
Subtraction word problems......................................................................................... 462
Subtraction word problems......................................................................................... 463
Addition or subtraction word problems.......................................................................466
Addition or Subtraction Word Problems......................................................................467
Multiplication word problems...................................................................................... 469
Division word problems.............................................................................................. 472
Mixed word problems of four operations .............................................476
Intermediate word problems .................................................484
Two-step word problems .........................................................................484
Advanced word problems ......................................................490
What unique is Chinese math? ?.........................................510
Times Table ................................................................................510
Smart phrases of positive and negative integer operations ...512
Classic model word problems ...........................................513
Math Terminology .........................................................................515
Line Segment Diagram .....................................................................515
4

Chinese character itself teaches math .........................516

Ho Math Chess Franchise information .....................................519

This workbook is aimed at math contests preparation for grades 1 and 2

The are not many math contests for grades 1 and 2. The main reason, I think, is the
limited math computation ability of lower grades students. Many North American
students will not learn multiplication until grade 3, but many Asian countries and
areas learn times table at grade 2, so there is one year of difference of learning
ahead in China. This workbook has brought its standard to meet the highest possible
math curriculum in the world so four operations of computation appear in this
workbook. The earlier the students could master the skills of four basic operations,
the more the students could explore many possibilities of word problem computation
problems. With this in mind, how does the very popular Math Kangaroo Contest test
the grade 1 and grade 2 students? How is it different from other math contests?
The Math Kangaroo grades 1 and 2 Contest almost does not include the direct math
computation problems which are very different from the math contests in China
where direct computation problems could include skillful computation problems. I
analyzed the most recent years of Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest grade 1 and 2
problems and they start to emerge some characteristics and categories, so I include
here to help students prepare for it. The lower grade math contest tends to skew to
the more visual operation type of problems. The problems could be classified as
follows:

Arrangement and sorting numbers

Patterns of figures and numbers
Counting figures or shapes or paths
Cubes or cards math
Including rotation or folding
Identifying parts of a figure or finding what part of a figure is missing
Number puzzles including filling numbers into empty spaces
Logic and reasoning problems
Word problems
Including some Chinese model problems
All other problems which do not belong to the above.

Many of the above problems are not typical problems appeared in the books where
you can buy from a bookstore because the problems in the math contests are much
more complicated and involve a lot of creativities. The above subjects are now
included in this workbook.
Frank Ho
November, 2016

Preface
I have been teaching math to kindergarten to grade 12 students for the past 21
years every night, 7 days a week at the Ho Math Chess Learning Centre based in
Vancouver, Canada. I have encountered many problems including some of the
followings:

The traditional computation worksheet format is boring. Many research papers

have been published to show us how to teach math, but when comes to have
some practice sheets, the choices are few and far between. None of them
could have any earth-shattering styles.
I teach in an environment which is very different from regular day schools
because I could have students ranging from grade 1 to grade 6 all in one class,
although I tried hard to have similar background of students gathered
together, but sometimes it is not possible because students have other lessons
to go to. Most of my students have after-school classes almost every day.
Some students can only do very basic calculation sheets, yet some of them
need to be challenged on advanced word problems including math contest
problems. How can I teach students with such diversified background?
Children not only need to learn math, some of them need to do puzzles to
activate their brains and increase their IQ.

With the above in mind, I created many separate workbooks including basic
calculation, word problems, puzzles, and I even incorporated chess moves into my
math worksheets. With all these efforts, ironically, I created additional problem for
myself, that is I have to use 4 workbooks to teach one child. In 2015, I started to pay
attention to Chinese after-school learning centres teaching materials and also
started to compare their teaching materials with our North American materials. At
the same time, I researched the materials from Singapore, Taiwan, and puzzles from
Japan and Britain. These analytical researches have led me to have an idea to
combine all my published workbooks into one large workbook which includes math
contest problems, IQ fitness, word problems, and chess and math integrated
worksheets.
This workbook is unique and one-of-a-kind. It also represents my idea of showcasing
why math is fun to children and my ideas of using inquiry and conceptual teaching
() and then reinforced by procedural practices (). I have
used many of these worksheets on my own students in my classes and witnessed
their feedback. Most children do not want to do just computation problems for 2
hours; very few students like to work on math contest problems for 2 hours
continuously, so puzzles and chess problems are fun for them for a change

The Ultimate Math Contest Preparation, Problem Solving Strategies, and Math IQ
Puzzles series of workbooks are created not for the purpose of teaching to test. It
is created with the idea of fostering students creativity. For this; it can be seen, in
these workbooks, we have demonstrated many
different methods of solving the same problem (), and how to transfer the
knowledge of solving a model word problem to expansion problems (). Some
examples have provided the same method to solve the different problems with
different data types ().
This workbook is not created for those students who are having problems with their
day school math, but for the students who have shown above the average math
ability and also are willing to take on the additional challenging by learning
something they do not normally learn at their day schools math classes. Our
workbook also shows the variety of math problems a student could learn other than
the school math. This workbook is not only written with a traditional western math
teachers view, but also incorporated some popular classic Chinese word problems to
give insights on how Chinese train their elementary math contestants. The
advantage of using these classic model problems is to get students to use arithmetic
skills to solve complicated word problems which they themselves naturally possess
some beautiful math models. For example, the Tree Planting problem naturally has
three equation models and the Chickens and Rabbits problem is a type of Systems of
Equations problem, yet the elementary students need to solve them using
arithmetic, instead of using algebra. Traditional style of writing math topics by
strategies or math subjects are also included in our workbook. In addition, we also
included some of our puzzle inventions. So over all, this math contest workbook
takes on an all round and all resources training approach () which includes
the training materials coming from model problems, strategies, word problems, and
also puzzles.
The purpose of these books is to promote mathematical thinking and to stimulate
student's interest in math. The good math contest contestants not only care about
getting the correct answer, they also enjoy the process of thinking on how to solve
problems.
Our math contest books are suitable for preparing the following math contests or
competitions.
Worldwide Math Kangaroo Contests
USA Mathcounts
USA Math Olympiad
Mathleague Math Contest
Canada BC Elmacon Math Contest
Canadian Math Challengers Competition
Canadian Gauss & Pascal Mathematics Contests
Mathematica Phythagoras, Euler, Langrange, Newton contests
Worldwide Caribou Mathematics Online Contest (USA Brock University)

Chinese math contests

Many countries' math competitions
Teachers are encouraged to select materials which are suitable to a student's
background.
Frank Ho
December, 2014 first edition
November, 2016 revised edition

Introduction of contents and inventions

Ultimate Math Contest Preparation, Problem Solving Strategies, and Math IQ Puzzles
This workbook contains five major parts as follows:
Part 1 Intelligent math basics worksheets, smart computation, and speedy
computation
Part 1 , ,
Intelligent math, puzzles, and chess integrated basic computation worksheets are
our inventions which offer students the opportunities to think more than the
traditional computation worksheets. The knowledge of how to make basic chess
moves is the only requirement to work on integrated chess and math problems.
Chess tactics and strategies are not the prerequisite.
Part 2 Chinese model word problems
Part 2
Some Chinese word problems have been around for a few thousands such as the
Chickens and Rabbits problems. There are reasons why these word problems are still
popular in China for so many years, one main reason is because of their
complications and fun to work with. For example, the Tree Planting problem has three
natural dependent and independent relationship built in the problem, students have
to understand the relation between the number of trees planted and the intervals
between trees. The Sum and Difference problem is the simplest System of Equations
model, yet elementary students can solve them without using the concept of
Systems of Equations. Many of these problems are used as one step in multi-step
math contest problems.
Emphases are placed on the following areas of model problems:

1.

2.
3.
4.

Different methods of solving the same problem ()

How to transfer a model word problem solving method to other problems ().
Use the same method to solve problems with different data types ().
The training of math contest ability includes the following subjects:
The relationships between known quantities by moving quantity around such as the
problems
of Give and Take, Sum and Difference.
Pattern including number, figures, and words etc.
Smart and speedy calculations including number puzzles
Geometry shapes and their names including solids
5. Basic fraction concepts such as half, one third, quarter etc.

10

6. Multiples including doubling and the multiples of 5

7. Logic
Our invented problem solving methods included using T-table for the Give and Take
problems, writing answers while reading questions, and story telling for the Sum and
Difference problems.
Part 3 Problem Solving Strategies
Part 3
The strategy of working backwards is one of the most important problem solving
strategies. Students also learn how to use the universal problem solving method Line
Segment Diagram to do all kinds of problems when the word problems get
complicated.
Part 4 Fun Math IQ Puzzles including Frankho ChessDoku and Frankho Maze
Part 4 IQ
Apart other math and chess puzzles, we included our invented math, chess, and
puzzles integrated worksheets such as Frankho ChessDoku and Frankho ChessMaze.
By learning these math and puzzles integrated worksheets, student do not learn
math computations just in linear from left to tight operation. A 3600 view of
computing are provided for students to train them in looking at problems from
different angles. Some puzzles simulate the environment of internet browsing.
Part 5 English word problems
Part 5
Simple one-step and also more than one-step problems are included. We invented
and recommended a word problems solving method that is to write intermediate
answers while reading problem sentences.

11

Why Chinese classic model word problems are included in this workbook?
?
Most math contest preparation books only contain math contest problems. One
special feature included in this workbook is it contains some popular Chinese classic
model word problems, so the result of using this workbook is very effective for
students to gain more in-depth understanding in solving math problems.
Chinese after-school learning centres are fascinating about teaching Chinese classic
model word problems and these model problems have their underlying reasons why
they are so popular. Many of them involve complicated equation models and some of
them are basically simple model of Systems of Equations such as Chicken and
rabbits, Sum and Difference, Give and Take etc. Problems. The can be easily solved
by using algebra, but before these elementary students learned algebra, how do we
teach these bright students to take on the challenge to solve a bit more advanced
word problems? Chinese math educator invented the Line Segment Diagram method
and use it as the universal method. For those word problems which are awkward to
use the Line Segment Diagram method, Chinese also come up with different ways of
solving them, a famous example would be the Chickens and Rabbits assumption
method which does not draw the Line Segment Diagram.
The drawback of solving these classic Chinese word problems is many Chinese math
contest books have resorted to providing students with formulas, the well known
example is the Sum and Difference problem. I have taken a different approach by
rewording the same routine problem into a story such that the students could use
the scenery to act it on to solve the problem without memorizing the formula.
Many Sum and Difference variations appear in age problems or perimeter problems,
so they can be solved by using the idea of Sum and Difference instead of using
algebra.
Chinese model word problems are challenging, fun to work with and they can train
students thinking skills before they learn how to use algebra to solve these
problems. Surprisingly, some of these arithmetic solving methods even easier than
algebra such as the remaining fraction problem. Perhaps this is one of the reasons
these model problems do not appear again in high schools when the students have
the acquired the knowledge of using algebra.

12

Why is it important to do math puzzles? ?

The most important reason to include puzzles in this workbook is because they help
improve a student`s brain power in the areas of inferring, reasoning, logic, analyzing,
and concluding while working on computation. Puzzles also train childrens patience
and endurance. The puzzles training emphasis is on reasoning, orientation,
visualization, comparison, data analysis, pattern, creativity, imagination, intuition,
innovation, number sense, and logic training, not so much on computation skills.
Traditional
worksheets
example

Chess
and
puzzles
workshe
ets

Mathematical puzzles
worksheets

Frankho ChessDoku

example

example

example
2+1=?
1+2=?
2+3=?
1+3=?
3+1=?

Boring and no
fun.
One directional
computation

+ 1

Abstract
symbol
idea.

Multi-direction
computation.
Fun and more
engaging.
Multi-level, multigrade teaching.
Multi-concept
teaching for
computation and
logic

Multi-direction
computation.
3D virtual hands-on
idea (knight jump).
Fun and more
engaging.
Multi-level, multigrade teaching.
Multi-concept
teaching for
computation and
logic
Integrating math,
chess, and puzzles.

13

Prerequisites for students who want to use this workbook

If a student makes more than 2 mistakes in the following assessment, then the student may
feel it is too difficult to work on this workbook. Students can rewrite the horizontal format to
vertical format if they like.

Problems
32 3 =
27 8 =
45 2 =
54 32 =
39 27 =
48 37 =
47 38 =
101 1 =
101 2 =
103 3 =
103 4 =
115 4 =
115 6 =
23 2 =
23 4 =
32 3 =
33 21 =
79 67 =
87 78 =
76 67 =
53 47 =
63 49 =
72 27 =
82 28 =
91 19 =

Work area

14

Computation ability assessment ,

To do addition, the student could get themselves familiar with adding a number by 1,
2, and 3 first, then also remembering the times 2 table to get doubling. The
technique of adding 10 () is often used in China to speed up the process of
computing, but how to change the idea of subtracting to adding?
One way of doing subtraction is as follows:

The above procedure actually is how students will do when working on an abacus
using fingers to move beads in 2 steps. The first step is to do 10 4, then do the
second step that is to add 2 to get the answer
We can eliminate the first step by simply remembering the complement number of
adding 10 that is to say the buddy number () of 4 is 6. In this way students are
not doing subtractions any more, they simply are doing addition without carrying
over. The little change of thinking illustrated above has changed the 2-step
subtraction procedure to a 1-step of addition with no carry over. The secret is
students simply remember which two numbers added to make 10.
I, Frank, have taught students using the scenery of buying a pen from me as follows:
John, you have 2 bills as laid on the table:

The 3 is written with no $ for a purpose so I can explain to John that when 3 is
overlaid on to $10, it is actually $13 and 1 really is not just one, it is ten (so the
concept of place value is introduced here.).
When you want to buy a pen costing 4 from me, then we can write it in arithmetic
expression as follows:

15

I ask John which bill he would give me to buy my pen, he would say $10. I then say
to him, Okay, here is your pen and I keep your $10. Right? Lots of students would
agree and simply forgot to ask for change. So the change is $10 - $4 = $6. How
much money does John have now? Some students got confused at this point and will
say $6. The correct answer is $6 + $3 which John did not spend.
Even though it is much easier for students to use one step to do subtraction by
simply remembering the complement number of 10, but it is very strange, for some
students the 2-step seem to be clearer than 1-step. Usually students already having
troubles with math show difficulties in understanding the 1-step procedure. Do not
insist that all students should use one-step subtraction.
Some problems in the following worksheet use the 1-step addition idea.

16

Changing subtraction to addition by using 10's complement (number of buddy) of the one's
digit

_11_______,

__13______,

__2____

__4____

___12_____,

__16______,

__3____

__7____

17

___14_____,

___5___

___15_____,

___6___

18

Computation ability assessment

problems
2 + 9 = _______
4 + ____ = 15
6 + ___ = 13
___ + 4 = 18
9 + 4 = ___
5 + ____ = 11
7 + ___ = 12
___ + 6 = 14
2 + ___ = 13
4 + ____ = 15
____ + 5 = 18
___ + 4 = 16
____ + 9 =18
8 + ____ = 19
9 + ___ = 12
___ + 3 = 13

11
= ___

81

11
= ___

1=
2
12

13

11

12

Work area

6 = ______

= ___

= ___

= ___
51

19

13

11

12

15

11

12

11

12

= ___

= ___

21

= ___

= ___

1=
6

= ___

= ___

1=
4

= ___

= ___

20

12

= ___

1=
3

21

Problems
___ + 6 = 11
12 6 = ________
14 6 + ____ = 11
___ + 4 = 11
____ + 9 7 = 15
12 9 = ______
14 7 = ____
18 9 = ____

11 8 = = ___

11
= ___

11
= ___

11
= ___

13
= ___

14
= ___

12
= ___

16
= ___

Work area

22

19

14

13

14

12

12

13

14

11

= ___

82

= ___

1=
5

= ___

= ___

2=
6

= ___

= ___

= ___

53
7= ___

= ___

22

23

13

15

12

12

13

14

12

= ___

= ___

3=
6

= ___

= ___

2=
4

= ___

= ___

4=
3

24

11

11

12
12

13

11

12

13

11

12

= __ 2 + 1 =3

= __ 8+1=9

= __ 6+2=8

4
6 = ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

25

15

11

12

11

12

14

13

14

= ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

= ___

3=

= ___

= ___

2=
6

12
= ___

26

12

13

14

11

13

15

12

13

14

11

= ___

= ___
53

= ___

= ___

32

= ___

= __

3=
6

= ___ 7

= __
83

81

82

27

15

16

13

84

=
81

83

28

Numerical ability assessment

1

3+9

12

9+3

22

12 3

33

12 9

44

10

11

12

11

13

10

14

15

12

16

13

17

14

18

15

19

20

35

21
22

55
19 2

23

14 5

24

12 8

25

13 6

26

11 4

27

10 9

28

10 4

29

18 9

30

17 8

31

17 9

32

11 2

33

13 4

34

15 8

35

17 9

36

14 9

One dollar is how many cents?

37

13 4

One dollar 10 cents are how many

cents?

2
3
4
6
5
9
8
11
10
7
12
13
14
15
5 25
35
55

2
11 3
22 3
44 3
55 3
8 3
8 9
9 6
7 6
5 6
2 6
1 1
1 1
23 1
24 2
22 1
48 2
48 4
48 3
48 1 2
48 6
48 48
72 2
72 3
72 4
72 12
72 6
72 36
1 2
2 4
1
1
+
2
2

One hour is how many

minutes
One hour 20 minutes is how
many minutes
15 minutes is how many
hours?

1
4

30 minutes is how many

hours?
121 2

55

2
2
321 2
213 2
312 2
231 2
321 2
121 3
232 3
123 3
321 3
213 3
312 3
231 3
321 3
121 3
242 3
25 5
25 55 5
25 0 5
25 00 5
2505 5
2505 0 5
100 5
100 0 5
500 5
100 50
100 100
100 10
100 0 10
242
123

0.1
0 0.1

29

Grade 1 math ability assessment

Number line
A number is drawn as follows to show 1 + 1 = 2.

Look at the following diagram and come up with your equation.

If the following diagram shows 3 - 1 = 2,

Then what is the value of the following diagram?

What is the value of the following diagram?

Write an equation for the following number line.

Write the equation for the above number line.

30

Grade 1 math ability assessment

37 9 =
73 4 =
45 8 =
89 +7 =
36 17 =
What is the largest one-digit number?
What is the largest two-digit number?
What is the smallest two-digit number?
Circle the following even numbers.
177, 46, 8, 91, 32, 21
Insert >, <, or = in

(67

19)

47 >

(31

18)

12

(77

28)

(37 + 12)

(34

26)

(17

If

+6=8+

8)

, what is the value of

31

Grade 1 word problems math assessment

How many squares are in the following figure?

What are the odd numbers which are less than 20?

Ethan is in a lineup for a concert. There are 3 people in front of Ethan and 5 people behind
Ethan. How many people are in the lineup?

Adam is 2 years older than Bob now. How old will Adam be more than Bob next year?

Meghan had 17 apples and she gave two of her friends each 4 apples, then how many apples
does she have now?

Andrew has $13 and he wishes to buy an applications software which costs $29. How much
more he has to save in order to buy the software he wants to?

32

Part 1 Intelligent math basics worksheets, smart computation, and speedy

computation
Part 1 , ,
Introduction
Students must possess above the average computation ability before taking on the
challenging of doing math contest problems, otherwise the students might get very
frustrated. When they get confusion in computation problems themselves which will hamper
their ability to solve word problems, they will not develop the ability to see the solutions
intuitively or mentally.
The ability of seeing which 2 digits adding to 10 is the very minimum requirement to develop
a good number sense. Students also need to know the times table of 2 and 5 even at grade
1 so that they can double a number quickly and be able to work on clock problems without
counting.
To learn the techniques of smart computation () and speedy computation (), students
need to learn the commutative law (). For example
3 + 2 = 2 + 3, but 3 2 is not equal to 2 3. However, if we move the sign along with the
number, then we can make the 2 3 = - 3 + 2.
Students need to observe the number sequence or pattern carefully to see if any number
pairs could be added to 10s multiples or a comfortable number with lots of zeros at end.
Sometimes using the technique of adding 1 or subtracting 1 could make computation easier,
for example, 9871 9 = 9871 10 + 1 = 9862.
We do not want to ask students to memorize all kinds of rules to speed up the computation,
nor do we ask students to have lots of practices to perfect the speedy process. With the
above in mind, we included some simple and easy to see computation tricks in this
workbook to develop a grade 1 students mental computation ability.
Students should be taught with conceptual approach so they understand why each step is
taken, if the students are not taught with reasoning, then the steps could be easily forgotten
after a few weeks, also a computation problem requires reasoning would have difficulty for
students taught by procedure, for example a problem such as follows seem to be difficult for
students who learned math computation by repetitions.
99 + 9
= 100 1 + 10 1
= 110 2
= 108

33

Students who learned computations by repetitions also have difficulty to apply learned
knowledge to a problem which are written in different format. For example, some students
who are always taught in vertical format computation may encounter difficulties when asked
to do the horizontal format computation.
An example is as follows:
Horizontal format
21 9 = ?
Vertical format

34

Intelligent math basics worksheets

The computational worksheets included here are called Intelligent math worksheets
and they all are my inventions. They never existed in the world until I created them.
The reason I call them intelligent is because they are not straight, traditional
computation worksheets which students only need to get answer by looking at the
math operators. I wanted to create one kind of worksheets which not only train
students computation ability, but also increase their problem solving ability. These
kind of intelligent math worksheets have no obvious questions presented, so
students need to go through a puzzle path which is similar to the idea of internet
browsing. Only by doing data analyzing, can the answer be found. Many times, the
answers are not obvious until the analytical work is finished. In our intelligent
worksheets, the processing of getting the simple answer is more interesting than
getting the operations done that is why these math worksheets are called intelligent
math worksheets. For example, the worksheet of One worksheet fits all grades.
is a puzzle worksheet which includes computation problems suitable for all
grades. The worksheet includes the computations of whole number, fraction, decimal, and
percent. They can be used by grade 1 to grade 7 elementary students by selecting their
learned topics.
The integrated math and chess worksheets only need students to know the basic chess
moves, no chess tactics or chess strategies knowledge are required.

I wrote a Chinese one liner ()showing the feeling when working on Ho Math
Chess integrated worksheets:

See puzzles not problems.
No need to weep when lost.
Math chess plus puzzles - A wonder to sharpen your brain.
The following description describes the overall idea how Ho Math Chess integrated math, chess, and puzzles
worksheets are combined.

Ho Math Chess workbook is a multi-function workbook, it trains children not only their basic computing
ability but also train them to be an astute data warehouse manager or an excellent data miner by
developing their problem solving ability and critical thinking skills.
Ho Math Chess workbook provides education and also entertainment value to get young children involved
in the future world they will be facing.

35

36

Why integrated worksheets are better? ?

Direct teaching method is easy for an average student to follow such as working on traditional vertical
math basic numbers fact worksheets but these worksheets tend to be boring and less challenging and
engaging for an above average student. Exploratory teaching method is more challenging and involves
multi-step problems so it is not easy for an average to grasp sometimes.
Our integrated worksheets take the exploratory approach which trains an average student to use more of
his or her brain and yet the problem is not difficult so an average student can solve them.
The following problem taken out from this workbook demonstrates our idea as follows:

37

Chess Pieces and their mathematical values

Symbols of chess pieces

Names of chess pieces

Mathematical values

Queen

Rook

Bishop

Knight

Pawn

King

0
38

Chess pieces names and moves

Symbol

Names of chess pieces

Queen
(major piece)

How does it move?

(If it is not blocked and is safe to move.)
Up and down
Left and right
Diagonally
Any number of squares

(Q)

King

Up and down
Left and right
Diagonally
one square at a time

(K)

Rook
(major piece)

Up and down
Left and right
Any number of squares

(R)

kNight
(minor piece)

L-shape or Y-shaped in 8 directions

The only piece can jump over pieces.

(N)

Diagonally
Bishop
(minor piece)

Any number of squares

(B)

Pawn

One or two squares forward on the first

move and only one square forward after
first move. One square diagonally when
take opponents piece. When pawn
reaches the other end of the board, pawn
can be promoted to any pieces other than
a king or a pawn.

39

40

One worksheet fits all grades

You are a chess piece located at c3.
5

C3

Fractio
n

3
2
1
a

2
5

decimal 0.002
4
Whole 12
%
100

24

2
3
0.024 1000
0
36
45
25% 10%

2
3

0.004
8
72
33
1
3

3
4
0.001
90
0.05%

Whole number

=______ + ______ = _____

=______

______ =

_____

=______ + ______ = _____

=______

______ =

_____

Decimal

=______ ______ = _____

=______ ______ = _____

=______ ______ = _____

=______ ______ = _____

Fraction of multiplication and division [Do not need the same measuring unit (denominator).]

=______ ______ = ______

= _____ ______ = ______

=______ ______ = ______

=______ ______ = ______

Fraction of addition and subtraction [Must have the same measuring unit (denominator).]

=______ + ______ = _____

=______

=______ ______ = _____

=______ ______ = _____

=______ ______ = _____

=______ _____ = _____

______ = _____

=_______ + ______ = _____

=_______

______ = _____

41

Knight moves to make 10

Step 1
Start at a3 and write the number 1.
Step 2
Make a knight move in clockwise and write a
number in the empty square such that the value
of a3 + the value of the next move = 10.
Step 3
Continue the knight moves such that the current
value plus the value of the next move is 10 until
all knight moves are completed.

42

Knight moves to make 10

Step 1
Start at a2 and write the number 2.
Step 2
Make a knight move in clockwise and write a
number in the empty square such that the value
of a2 + the value of the next move = 10.
Step 3
Continue the knight moves such that the current
value plus the value of the next move is 10 until
all knight moves are completed.

43

High performance multi-digit addition

3 22
9
2 76
5

345 56
4
99 88
7

1 54
8
a

888 89
9
b
c

The original square is at b2 =

0708090204060503
+ 9909090909090909

b2 +

b2 +

b2 +

b2 +

44

Computing additions
chess integrated

5
6

4
3
2
1
f

g4

5
4

g3

f3

g1

f1

211 g2

f2

112

2
7

f4

14

through math and

puzzle

15
i

The start square is at c3 =

c3 +

= __+ __ = __

c3 +

= __+ __ = __

= __+ __ = __

= __+ __ = __

c3 +

= __+ __ = __

c3 +

= __+ __ = __

= __+ __ = __

= __+ __ = __

45

f2

5
4
3
2
1

f3

g2

f1

19

g1

f4

5
4

+5

6+

93

g3

g4

c
+8

11
12

2+9
+4

Computing subtractions through math and chess

integrated puzzle

14

+6

7+8

The start square is at c3 =

15
i

c3

= __ ___ = __

c3

= __ __ = __

= __ __ = __

= ___ ___ = ___

c3

= __ __ = __ c3

= ___ ___ = ___

= __ __ = __

= ___ ___ = __

46

Addition and subtraction by link

3

k1

k2

k1+i1

i1

i2

4
2

k3

k3+i3

i3

+7
i1+k
1

+5
1

k1-2
3
i

You are at b2 =

= __________

= __________

= __________

= __________

+
+

= __________
= __________

= __________

= __________

47