The Secret Trick for Quickly Adding 2-Digit Numbers

When big numbers stop looking big at all!

Have you ever seen a 2-digit addition question and felt your brain whisper,
“Umm… I’ll come back to this later”?
(It’s okay. We’ve all been there.)

But what if I told you there’s a tiny secret that makes adding 2-digit numbers super fast… faster than counting on fingers… faster than drawing lines… even faster than your calculator skills?

Let’s learn it together — and once you get it, you’ll never go back!


🌟 The Trick: Break the Number Into Tens and Ones

Most kids try to add numbers straight away, like:

47 + 36

and the mind goes: “Too many digits!”

But here’s the secret:

**Don’t add the whole number.

Add its pieces.**

Every 2-digit number is made of:

  • a tens part
  • a ones part

So we split them first.


Let’s Try One Together

Example: 47 + 36

Step 1: Add the tens
40 + 30 = 70

Step 2: Add the ones
7 + 6 = 13

Step 3: Add both answers
70 + 13 = 83

Done!

Looks like magic, but it’s actually just smart thinking.


🧠 Why This Trick Works So Well

When you break numbers, your brain relaxes.
Big problems turn into small ones — and small ones are easy.

It’s like turning a big burger into tiny bites.
One bite at a time → finished in no time.


🎯 Try These Yourself

Break them into tens and ones:

  • 62 + 17
  • 48 + 35
  • 73 + 29
  • 56 + 42

You’ll solve them faster than you expect.


🌈 Bonus Quick Tip: Add the Bigger Tens First

If you see:

58 + 24

Start with the bigger tens number (50).
Your brain loves starting strong:

50 + 20 = 70
8 + 4 = 12
70 + 12 = 82

Easy-peasy.


Even Faster Method: Round Up, Then Fix

This trick is great when one number is close to a multiple of 10.

For example:

39 + 28

Step 1: Make 39 into 40 (add 1)
Step 2: Subtract that 1 later

40 + 28 = 68
68 – 1 = 67

Long question, super short solution.

Feels like cheating, but it’s not — it’s maths being smart.


💡 Final Thought

Math doesn’t get easier on its own.
But you get smarter when you learn shortcuts.
And this one is a game-changer.

The next time someone says,
“Wow, how did you add that so fast?”
Just smile and say:

“I know a little trick.”

Because now… you do.