Subtraction
Ages 5–9Difficulty adapts to you
Subtraction
Subtraction means taking away from a group to find what remains. The symbol is − (minus). The answer is called the difference.
Your goals
- ✓You can take away to find what is left.
- ✓You can use difference, exchange correctly.
- ✓You can add your answer to the number that was subtracted.
Words to know
- difference:
- The result of subtraction, or the distance between two values.
- exchange:
- Regroup one place-value unit as smaller units.
Examples
- 19 − 4 = 5 — nine take away four leaves five.
- 215 − 7 = 8 — fifteen take away seven leaves eight.
More than one way to solve it
Try each method, then choose the one you can explain and check most clearly.
Method 1
Count up to find the difference
- 1.Start at the smaller number.
- 2.Jump to friendly landmarks.
- 3.Add the jumps.
Example: 82 - 67: 67→70 is 3, 70→80 is 10, 80→82 is 2; total 15.
Method 2
Partition and exchange
- 1.Align place values.
- 2.Exchange from the next column when needed.
- 3.Subtract each column.
Example: 403 - 178 uses one hundred exchanged into tens, then one ten into ones.
Check these
- • Do not subtract the smaller digit from the larger digit without considering place value.
- • Keep every number, symbol, label, and unit in its correct place.
- • Choose the method that makes each step easiest to explain and check.
Helpful habits
- • Read the whole question before choosing what to do.
- • Show one clear step at a time and check each step.
- • If you are stuck, draw a model, try smaller numbers, or revisit the example.
Now try your own
Create your own subtraction example, solve it, and explain how you checked it.
Spark
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