Subtraction Teaching Resources
Browse subtraction worksheets, games and more teacher-created activities for your lesson plans!
Aligned with the Australian maths curriculum, including version 9.0, each resource in this subtraction collection has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to ensure it's ready to use with your students!
Browse printables and digital activities for teaching students how to take away, use subtraction to compare quantities, subtract two-digit numbers with regrouping, solve word problems and so much more!
Whether you're teaching your year 1 class to add and subtract within 20 or your year 3 students how to fluently subtract within 1,000, or you're explaining to a year 6 group how to add or subtract integers on a number line, there are plenty of options for your planning.
New to teaching subtraction, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a kid-friendly definition to explain what it means to subtract, plus a look at the subtraction sign and more maths vocabulary that will help you plan your lessons.
What Is Subtraction? A Kid-Friendly Definition
If you're teaching early years students and introducing subtraction for the very first time, you may need a definition that can help you explain what it means to subtract numbers.
Subtraction is a maths operation we can use when we have a number and we want to find out what's left when we take away another number.
For example, let's imagine you have 5 toys, and your friend takes 2 of them home. How can you determine how many toys are left? You can use subtraction!
If you subtract 2 from the number 5, you are left with 3.
What Is the Subtraction Sign Called?
There are several maths symbols and signs that help us understand the relationships between numbers in our maths problems. Students should learn early on to identify the subtraction symbol, which is called the minus sign.
The minus sign (-) looks like a short line.
When it is placed between two numbers, it lets us know that we should subtract the number on the right from the number on the left.
For example, look at the subtraction problem below:
- 6-3
In this problem, the minus sign tells us that you will need to subtract — or take away — 3 from the number 6.
What Is the Answer to a Subtraction Problem Called?
Teaching maths in primary school involves teaching a significant amount of maths vocabulary!
When it comes to subtraction, one word kids need to learn early on is 'difference' — this is the word we use for the answer to a subtraction problem.
What Are the Numbers Called in Subtraction?
Words like subtraction, difference and minus are commonly used in the classroom, but what about the numbers in a subtraction problem?
These are not typically taught to students, but it can be helpful to keep the names of the numbers in a subtraction problem in your back pocket anyway!
- Minuend — This is the number on the left in a subtraction problem. It is the number that you are 'taking away' from.
- Subtrahend — This is the number on the right in a subtraction problem. It is the number that you are 'taking away.'
Teaching Kids How to Subtract — 3 Fun Ideas From Our Teacher Team
Looking for some tips on teaching subtraction? This collection of resources is full of ideas from our expert maths teachers, but we didn't stop there.
Here are some tips that may help you teach kids how to subtract and build their fluency!
1. Focus on Missing Addends
Missing addend addition is sometimes easier for kids to grasp when tackling subtraction problems.
For example, rather than 17 - 8, gear your students to think, '8 plus what equals 17?'
2. Teach Regrouping With Base-10 Blocks
Students need to understand they aren't changing the value of the minuend in the subtraction problem, just what it looks like. For example, 42 is still 42, even if it's represented as 30 + 12 instead of 40 + 2.
This is where it helps to teach the concept of regrouping using Base-10 or MAB blocks.
3. Use Subtraction Rhymes
Using fun rhymes as mnemonics in subtraction can help your student remember the rules. Here's one of our favourites for teaching students subtraction with regrouping:
More on top?
No need to stop!
More on the floor?
Go next door.
Add 10 more.
If the numbers are the same, then 0 is the name!
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Printable Maths Puzzles - Subtraction Tarsia
Print a set of 7 Tarsia puzzles to practise solving single-to-multi-digit subtraction problems.
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Colour by Number - Subtraction Task Cards
Practice subtracting single and double-digit numbers with a set of subtraction color by number task cards.
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Basic Subtraction Strategies Posters
Remind your students to use different subtraction strategies with a set of printable subtraction anchor charts.
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Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
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Operation Domination Game
A fun game using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
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Maths Mazes (Addition and Subtraction)
A set of puzzling mazes that require addition and subtraction skills to solve.
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Subtraction Fact Fluency Assessments
Assess and track subtraction fact fluency with a printable Number Facts Fluency program for subtraction.
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Ten More and Ten Less - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practise adding and subtracting 10 from given numbers within 100 in this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Subtraction Using the Split Strategy - Teaching Slides
Demonstrate using the split strategy for subtraction with an instructional slide presentation.
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Apple Tree Addition and Subtraction Mat
Solve addition and subtraction problems up to 10 with a hands-on apple maths centre.
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Subtraction Worksheets - 10/20 Frame Subtraction
Model and subtract numbers to twenty using ten frames with a handy subtraction worksheet.
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Digital Pixel Art - Adding and Subtracting Integers
Practise adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers with an exciting spreadsheet pixel art activity.
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Spooky Subtraction Colour by Number - Worksheet
Bring some spooky maths fun into the classroom with a Halloween colour-by-number worksheet focused on subtracting four-digit numbers.
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Exploring Strategies for Subtraction PowerPoint
Explore and teach multiple subtraction strategies with an instructional slide deck
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards (Numbers 1-9)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty single-digit word problems.
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Spooky 3-Digit Subtraction - Maze Game
Practise three-digit subtraction with regrouping skills with printable Halloween Subtraction Maze worksheets.
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Missing Addend Avenue - Find the Missing Number Worksheet
Practise using various subtraction strategies with a fun dice-roll math maze.
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Number Bonds Subtraction - Worksheet
Practise subtraction using number bonds with differentiated number bond worksheets.
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Addition and Subtraction Fact Families Teaching Presentation
A 19-page editable teaching presentation to use in the classroom when introducing addition and subtraction fact families.
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Subtracting 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit subtraction with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
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Numbers and Symbols Mini Flashcards
Print a set of colourful number and symbol cards for various maths lessons.
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Number Talks - Balancing Equations Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 40 task cards.
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Number and Place Value Worksheets - Year 3
16 number worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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3 Digit Subtraction With Regrouping Game Cards
Practise 3-Digit subtraction with regrouping strategies with a printable set of subtraction strategy task cards.
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Subtraction Across Zero - Colour By Number Worksheet
Practise subtraction across zeros with a fun colour-by-number worksheet.
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Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping - Anchor Charts
Break down the steps to use regrouping to find a solution with an addition and a subtraction poster.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Lower)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
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Mathematics Vocabulary Posters
A teaching resource to help students identify the symbols and associated vocabulary for mathematical operations.
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Jump Strategy Subtraction Game
Learn how to use the jump strategy to solve subtraction problems with a fun subtraction game.
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Adding and Subtracting Within 10 - Word Problem Task Cards
Solve word problems practicing addition and subtraction to ten with a set of printable task cards.
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Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.
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Subtraction using Picture Models - Worksheet
Practise subtracting numbers to 12 using picture models with a printable subtraction worksheet.