Marcruz, Ong Yew LeeOng Yew LeeMarcruzHo, Ka LeeKa LeeHoManabu, KawataKawataManabuMayumi, TakahashiTakahashiMayumiKumpei, MizunoMizunoKumpei2024-04-022024-04-0220200966-9760https://dspace.usj.edu.mo/handle/123456789/512610.1080/09669760.2020.1848525It has become increasingly clear that the early use of decomposition for addition is associated with later mathematical achievement. This study examined how younger children execute a base-10 decomposition strategy to solve complex arithmetic (e.g. two-digit addition). 24 addition problems in two modalities (WA: Written Arithmetic; OA: Oral Arithmetic) with sums less than 100 were administered to 22 Japanese and 22 Singaporean 6-year-old kindergarteners. Our findings reveal that they were able to solve complex addition. For instance, Japanese kindergarteners tended to solve complex arithmetic using base-10 decomposition across the modality, whereas Singaporean kindergarteners used standard algorithms and basic counting to solve complex WA and OA problems, respectively. We speculate that Japanese kindergarteners might have a clearer understanding of the base-10 concept and were able to use this knowledge more readily than Singaporean kindergarteners. Mathematical experiences in kindergarten and number-naming systems have been put forward as two of the crucial contributors for such cross-cultural differences. This study also provides new directions for future research on the understanding of the base-10 concept and its application among young children.enBase-10 conceptdecomposition strategykindergartenmathematical experiencesnumber-naming systemtext::journal::journal article