These twelve self-checking riddles focusing on adding and subtracting integers are a great resource for classwork, centers, or homework. My kids love doing puzzles like these, and I, of course, love being able to quickly grade an entire stack of papers!

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Common Core State Standards for Mathematics addressed:
The Number System (NS)

Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
• Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and subtract rational numbers. (7.NS.1)

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Included:

• 12 self-checking puzzles

• answer key for each puzzle

These twelve puzzles were designed to build students’ proficiency with adding and subtracting integers. Each sheet features from sixteen to twenty different problems that involve adding or subtracting integers. Your students will have to solve the equations and then place corresponding letters on numbered blanks to reveal a interesting fact or a riddle to solve.

The first three puzzles feature only addition problems, with sums between -15 and 15. The next set of three puzzles feature only subtraction problems, with differences between -15 and 15. The third set of three puzzles features both addition and subtraction problems, with the sums and differences still between -15 and 15.

Each of these first nine puzzles feature a number line with endpoints of -25 and 25 that your students can use as needed to help solve the problems on the activity sheet.

The final set of three puzzles feature a mix of addition and subtraction problems, but these problems have sums and differences between -100 and 100. No number line is provided on these activity sheets. For these problems, students are provided an “answer bank” with integers and corresponding letters. Once they solve the equation, they find the sum or difference and the corresponding letter and record those.

The included Table of Contents lists the puzzles, as well as the skills on which the puzzles focus, and the pages on which each puzzle/answer key are found so you can more easily print out the exact puzzle you need.

There are many ways in which you can use these puzzles pages. Your students can complete them on their own, in pairs, or in small groups. The riddles can be used as center work, drill, classwork, assessment, or homework. The riddle pages have no more than 20 problems, so none of them should take very long to complete, and keys are included for all six, so scoring should not take too long either! [Though since these are self-checking, your grading workload should be light ]

Looking for more self-checking puzzles? Check out:

• Self-Checking Math Riddles - Representing & Multiplying with Powers of Ten
• Self-Checking Math Riddles - Volume of Rectangular Prisms and Irregular Figures
• Self-Checking Number Line Riddles - Fractions on a Number Line (set a)

I hope your students enjoy these puzzles and are able to build their proficiency with adding and subtracting integers – Dennis McDonald