Stage 6 of 20

Doubles and Near-Doubles

Doubles (3+3, 7+7) are easy to memorize. Near-doubles (7+8, 4+5) are solved by adjusting a double — a powerful shortcut used by mental math champions.

What You'll Learn

  • Memorize all doubles from 1+1 through 9+9
  • Solve near-doubles by adjusting a known double
  • Apply doubling to multiplication preview

Explanation

Doubles form a rhythm: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. Say them in order daily until the sequence is automatic.

For a near-double like 6 + 7, think of the double 6 + 6 = 12, then add 1 to get 13. The adjustment is always ±1 or ±2.

Doubles connect directly to multiplication: knowing 7 + 7 = 14 means 7 × 2 = 14 is already half-learned.

When both numbers are close, pick the smaller double as your anchor. For 8 + 9, use 8 + 8 = 16, then +1 = 17.

Pro Tips

  • Create a "doubles chart" and cover one side to quiz yourself.
  • Near-doubles always differ by 1 or 2 — identify which before calculating.
  • Doubles of 5 and near-5 facts end in 0 or 5, making them easy to spot.

Practice Exercises

Work through each problem mentally. Click "Show Answer" when you're ready to check.

  1. 1. 6 + 6 = ?
  2. 2. 7 + 7 = ?
  3. 3. 6 + 7 = ?
  4. 4. 8 + 8 = ?
  5. 5. 8 + 9 = ?
  6. 6. 4 + 4 = ?
  7. 7. 4 + 5 = ?
  8. 8. 9 + 9 = ?
  9. 9. 9 + 8 = ?
  10. 10. 3 + 4 = ?