Bar models: books for the class library
Pupil activity
Audience: Year 3 pupils
Compare book quantities with a bar model, calculate the total and remaining books, and explain how each
step changes the library count.
Problem
The class library has 28 story books and 15 fact books. How many more story books are there? How many
books are there altogether? The teacher then adds 9 books and lends 12 to another class. How many remain?
Compare the quantities
Story
15
?
total 28
Fact
15
The bars share a starting point. The extra story-book segment is the comparison.
Difference: 28 − 15 = ______ books. Starting total: 28 + 15 = ______ books.
Update the total
1. Starting total: ________
2. Add 9 new books: ________
3. Subtract 12 lent books: ________
4. Check by adding 12 back: ________
Pupil activity
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