ABSTRACT
In this chapter and the next, we examine the development of elementary computational models and processes for whole numbers and fractions. This chapter focuses on addition and subtraction whereas chapter 6 addresses multiplication and division. We begin this chapter with a brief discussion on children’s computational performance. Because children’s difficulties appear to stem largely from a failure to form connections among important mathematical ideas, we give consideration to the links that must be established among the various representations for number and computation. We then examine some conceptual and procedural models of addition and subtraction, for both whole numbers and fractions, and offer some suggestions for developing children’s understanding of these.
