Column addition 5: Ingenious Ants
The Number Bit!
In this exciting lesson, you will need to solve a range of addition word problems that feature ants. Try using PAWS to arrive at the right answer!
P = Picture the problem in your mind.
A = Annotate the word problem by highlighting the important information.
W = Write down the number sentence that needs to be solved.
S = Solve the number sentence using an efficient strategy.
Prior learning: 4-digit column addition with one exchange
Use PAWS and column addition to solve the following word problem.
After 3 months, a leaf cutter ant colony had grown in size to include 13,256 ants. A month later, following the hatching of the queen’s eggs, a further 14,963 ants were added to the colony.
How many leaf cutter ants were in the colony after this 4 month period?
![](https://www.naturalcurriculum.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/06/Picture2-398x304.png)
Did you know?
Unable to digest the tough leaves that they cut, worker leaf cutter ants carry leaf parts underground. The ants mash up the leaf parts to create a compost, which is used to grow a type of fungus that feeds the colony.