Represent Subtraction
Count Back
Count On
Add to Subtract
100

There are 9 frogs. The 2 frogs hop away.

How many frogs are there now?

There are 7 frogs now.

100

Viktoria makes 7 picture frames. She gives 2 to her friend. How many picture frames does she have now?

How can counting help you solve the problem?

She has 5 picture frames now.

100

8 children sit at tables. 

5 children sit at a red table.

The rest sit at a blue table.

How many children sit at the blue table?

How can you count on to solve the problem?

3 children sit at the blue table.

100

Elena has 7 apples. Ian has 2 apples.

Elena gives 4 of her apples to Ian.

How can you show the number of apples each child has now?

7-4=3

Elena has 3 apples


2+4=6

Ian has 6 apples

200

There are 10 fish in a group. Then 4 fish swim away.

How many fish are there now?

There are 6 fish now

200

Dina has 9 balloons. Then 1 balloon floats away. How many balloons does she have now?

Show how you can count back.

Dina has 8 balloons now.

200

There are 9 acorns. 7 acorns are on the ground. The rest of them are in a tree. How many acorns are in the tree?

9-7=2

2 acorns in the tree

200

Helena has 8 oranges. 5 are in a bag. The rest are in a bowl. How many oranges are in a bowl? How can you show the problem as addition?

5+3=8

8-5=3

There are 3 oranges in the bowl.

300

12 children are at the beach. 5 children leave. How many children are at the beach now?

Write an equation.

12-5=7

300

Use a number line to count back to subtract.

8-3=__?

8-3=5

300

Ann has 7 flowers. 4 are in a vase. She holds the rest. How can you count on to find how many flowers Ann holds?

7-4=3

So, Ann holds 3 flowers

300

Vito has 12 seashells.

5 are big. The rest are small.

How many small seashells does he have?

12-5=__


5+__=12

So, 12-5=__.

__small seashells

5+7=12

12-5=7

7 small seashells

400

12 seagulls are on the beach. 8 seagulls fly away. How many seagulls are on the beach now?

Write an equation.

12-8=4

400

How can you count back to subtract 7-2?

Draw or write an explanation.

I'll check. The answer is 5.

400

Haldi has 11 beads. 9 of them are on the floor. The rest are on the table. How many beads are on the table?

11-9=2

2 beads on the table.

400

What is 10-8?

8+__=10

So, 10-8=__.

8+2=10

So, 10-8=2

500

Sue has 8 books. She gives some away. How many books could she have now?

8-___=___

500

Count back to subtract. What is the difference?

Show your work.

12-3=__?

12-3=9

500

Explain how Malik can count on to subtract 10-7.

He can start at 7 and count on until he gets to 10. The difference is 3 because he counts 3 numbers to go from 7 to 10.

500

Jo has 12 boxes. 6 are closed. The rest of them are open. How many boxes are open?


__+__=___

So, ___-___=___

___boxes are open

6+6=12

So, 12-6=6

6 boxes are open.