WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Five-year-olds answer math questions - even without training

Five-year-olds answer math questions - even without training

NATIONAL (NBC) - Young children can figure out basic arithmetic - even if they haven't been taught how to add or subtract, according to new research.

In a new study, researchers presented five-year-old children with visual addition and subtraction problems.

For example, they used pictures of candies and children to illustrate the math problem. They found even though the children had not been formally taught how to add and subtract - they performed well above chance on the tests and did not have to guess to figure out the problem.

And the math problems didn't use small numbers. They included numbers five through 98.

Experts say this study shows working with numbers comes naturally to children. They hope to use these study results to develop new ways to teach children formal math.

The study was published in the journal Nature and conducted at Harvard University.

Posted by Chantelle Janelle