C Curriculum Explorer
Mathematics·Multiplication & Division·representational

Writing Number Sentences

Write simple numerical expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them (e.g. recognise that 3 × (18932 + 921) is three times as large as 18932 + 921)

Suggested ages 10–11

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Learning journey

Your child is advancing to sophisticated multiplication and division — using formal written methods for complex calculations, working with decimals, and applying the order of operations to solve multi-step problems.

Evidence of understanding

  • Write an expression for 'add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2' using parentheses
  • Explain what 4 × (365 − 12) represents without computing it
  • Compare two expressions and determine which is larger without evaluating

Assessment prompt

Can Writing Number Sentences look at '4 × (5 + 3)' and say 'that's 4 times the result of adding 5 and 3' — reading the expression as a description of a calculation, without having to work it out first?

Standards alignment

No external standards are linked to this topic.