Question

There are $10$ shirts. There are $2$ fewer trousers than shirts. How many trousers are there? Choose the correct equation to find the total number of clothing items.

• A. $8;10+8=18$
• B. $2;10+2=12$
• C. $10;10+10=20$
• D. $8;20-2=8$

Answer 1

The correct option is A $8;10+8=18$

Solution: Option A

Say: Let us begin by finding the number of trousers.

Ask:
How many shirts are there?
Ans: $10$

How many trousers are there?
Ans: $2$ fewer than the number of shirts.

How will we find the number of trousers?
Ans: By counting forward after $2$ till $10$.

So, how many trousers are there?
Ans: $8$

Say: Now let us find the total number of clothing items.

Ask:
How will you find the total number of clothing items?
Ans: By adding the number of shirts and trousers.

How many shirts are there?
Ans: $10$

How many trousers are there?
Ans: $8$

What equation will be framed?
Ans: $10+8=18$

How many items of clothing are there?
Ans: $18$

Hence, Option A is correct.


WB: If required, use the whiteboard to represent the number of shirts and the number of trousers as shown and write the addition equation.

Probing Q: To find the number of trousers, do we need to add $2$ to the number of shirts, i.e. $10$?
Ans: No, since the number of trousers is two fewer than the number of shirts, we need to take away $2$ from $10$, we can do this by counting backward $2$ steps from $10$ to $8$.