What foundational math concept should a new employee understand when teaching addition?

• A. Geometry
• B. Place value
• C. Algebraic expressions
• D. Measurement units

Answer: (B)

Understanding place value is crucial for teaching addition effectively because it helps students grasp how numbers are structured and how to manipulate them in calculations. Place value indicates the value of a digit based on its position within a number. For instance, in the number 245, the 2 represents two hundreds, the 4 represents four tens, and the 5 represents five ones.

When students comprehend this concept, they can perform addition more accurately by aligning digits correctly according to their place values. For example, when adding two-digit numbers, understanding that the tens and ones must be grouped appropriately makes it easier to manage carrying over numbers when the sum exceeds ten in the ones place. Mastery of place value builds a strong foundation for not only addition but also for more advanced operations in mathematics.