Classroom · Math · 1st grade

Tens and ones worksheets

A free five-page pack: what each place means with a worked example, base-ten blocks to count, numbers to write and expand, 10 more and 10 less, comparing and ordering, the value of a digit, word problems and an answer key.

Download the tens and ones pack(5 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

Watch it solved

43 sec · with voice and captions

A pencil works one example of each activity, so you can see how the worksheet goes before you print it. Tap a step to jump to it. The rest of the sheet is left for your child to finish.

Read what the video says

0:00 Let's practice tens and ones, step by step.
0:03 Count the blocks. 6 tens, 9 ones. That makes 69.
0:09 Write it as tens and ones. 13 is 1 ten, 3 ones.
0:14 Expanded form. 76 is 70 plus 6.
0:18 Ten less than 85 is 75. Ten more is 95.
0:23 Compare the numbers. 68 is greater than 28.
0:28 Noor has 3 bags of 10 crayons and 5 more. How many crayons does Noor have? The answer is 35.
0:36 Great job! Now print the free worksheet, and finish the rest on your own.

How to do it

A ten is a group of 10 ones. Count the tens first, then the ones: 3 tens and 4 ones make 34.

Teaching tip

Use real bundles: 10 straws in a rubber band make one ten. Children can see that 34 is 3 bundles and 4 single straws.

Try some: expanded form

76 = ?70 + 6
46 = ?40 + 6
89 = ?80 + 9
14 = ?10 + 4
41 = ?40 + 1
43 = ?40 + 3
12 = ?10 + 2
24 = ?20 + 4

Tap a number to see it in expanded form.

Word problems

Noor has 3 bags of 10 crayons and 5 more. How many crayons does Noor have?Show answer

Ben has 97 pencils. Ben puts them in groups of 10. How many full groups are there, and how many are left over?Show answer

9 groups of 10, 7 left over

I am a number. I have 5 tens and 3 ones. What number am I?Show answer

Noor has 33 crayons. Ben has 78 crayons. Who has more?Show answer

Ben (78 > 33)

What the worksheets look like

Tens and ones worksheet with base-ten blocks to count — Page 1: what a ten is, then count the blocks

Tens and ones word problems worksheet — Page 4: word problems

Place value chart

A hundreds, tens and ones chart to use with any number.

Chart(1 page, color)Ink saver (B&W)

Common questions

How do you teach tens and ones?

A ten is a group of 10 ones. Count the tens first, then the ones: 3 tens and 4 ones make 34. Use real bundles: 10 straws in a rubber band make one ten. Children can see that 34 is 3 bundles and 4 single straws.

What grade is tens and ones?

Usually 1st grade. In the Common Core it is part of 1.NBT.B.2, 1.NBT.B.3, 1.NBT.C.5.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. Page 5 has every answer from the pack and a short teaching tip.