Here is a real mixture of addition and subtraction questions which can all be answered mentally without resorting to written methods. The questions include adding 2-digit multiples of 10 to 3-digit numbers and subtracting 2-digit multiples of 10 from 3-digit numbers. Interestingly, some of the addition statements can be answered by subtraction and some of [...]

One of the things that some children find very difficult is to successfully use the standard written method of subtraction. This set of worksheets takes a different slant on the subject. The subtraction is set out in the standard way and the answer is given. All that is missing are two of the digits. To [...]

Here we have the second set of pages about making number stories, this time linked to subtraction. It is a good idea to read the subtraction number sentence out loud and discuss what kind of story could be written. Say out loud one or two before writing down a sentence. Whilst they should be kept [...]

Several of our members have requested more written subtraction pages and here we have a new set which looks at subtracting money. The key to success here is to lay the question out in a vertical form, making sure that the decimal points line up under each other and that there are always two digits [...]

One of the hardest things that children have to learn is to be able to carry out a written subtraction in the standard form. One of the main problems for children is the adjustment from tens to units, or hundreds to tens and when to do it. Our great subtraction activities help with this by [...]

A particular type of subtraction question seems to cause more problems than almost any other kind, and that is where a ten needs to be ‘borrowed’ from the tens column but there is a zero in the tens. In this case the adjustment needs to be done from the hundreds to the tens and then [...]

This week we have published a tricky set of worksheets suitable for Year 5. A rule is given, such as ‘Add 26′ and a table below the rule has to be completed. There are two columns in the table, IN and OUT. The calculation required depends on which part of the table is missing. This [...]

Most of the subtractions we ever do, we do ‘in our heads’, not on paper. Even if we use a calculator we should do a quick mental approximate answer to check that we haven’t pressed the wrong keys. But, when we subtract ‘in our heads’ we frequently just add! For example 23 – 19  = [...]

Here we have some great pages for practising subtracting multiples of 10. Children who have learnt their addition of single digit facts should find these straightforward. It is interesting to ask ourselves how we actually go about answering questions such as these in our heads. Some we just seem to know eg 40 – 30. [...]

It is important that children recognise that subtraction questions can be phrased in several different ways. These four worksheets use the following: 9 take away 4 take 4 from 9 9 subtract 4 subtract 4 from 9 what is 4 less than 9 ? how many less is 4 than 9 ? With these questions [...]