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FIND THE DIFFERENCE

Subtraction worksheets.

Practise taking away and finding a difference. Keep the numbers manageable, then add regrouping when place value is secure.

Download a PDF directly, or print with your browser. Questions and keys are separate files. Match the paper size when printing.

NUMBERLEAF / PRACTICE SHEET

Subtraction practice

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Name: ________________________Date: ______________

Calculate each answer. Show your working where helpful.

NL1-subtraction-leaf-01-4238bab3 · v1numberleaf · Keep practising.
NL1-subtraction-leaf-01-4238bab3 · 12 questions

The link keeps settings in its fragment. The JSON download includes answers; it is not a PDF.

A LITTLE GUIDANCE

Practise subtraction with purpose

A learner should understand counting backwards and comparing quantities. For larger numbers, check their understanding of tens and ones.

A sensible next step

  1. Try a small range first and connect each subtraction to objects or a number line.
  2. Choose “No regrouping” for column subtraction without exchanging. When ready, choose “Requires regrouping”.
  3. Check a subtraction with addition: the difference plus the amount taken away should equal the starting number.
WORKED EXAMPLE

Example: 52 − 28

Exchange one of the 5 tens for 10 ones. Now subtract 8 ones from 12 ones to get 4, and 2 tens from 4 tens to get 2. The answer is 24; check that 24 + 28 = 52.

Watch for this

Subtracting the smaller digit from the larger digit in each column can give a wrong answer. Keep the original order and regroup instead.

Try a five-minute lesson

Use a range of 0 to 10 and four questions. Ask for both a take-away story and a comparison story: 9 - 6 can mean removing six from nine or finding the gap between six and nine. Counting up from six to nine gives the same difference, three.

Respond to the method

For 52 - 28, show 52 as 4 tens and 12 ones before subtracting. The result is 2 tens and 4 ones, or 24. Check with 24 + 28 = 52. If the learner subtracts the smaller digit from the larger in every column, revisit the value of the whole numbers and the exchange, rather than adding more questions.

How these settings work

Both operands are drawn from the chosen range and ordered so the answer is never negative. Negative-number practice is outside this release.

Generated answers are checked separately against mathematical relationships before the sheet is displayed. Select settings using your knowledge of the learner; these resources are not curriculum-certified.

Choose a useful difficulty · Printing and PDF help · Understand answer checks