Subtracting Numbers: Two- and Three-Digits!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• First, what is subtraction?

Subtraction is taking something away from something else and seeing what is left.

Imagine you have 6 cool space stickers. You give 2 of them to your friend.

• How many stickers do you have left?

This is where you use subtraction!

6 stickers -  2 stickers = 4 stickers

• What if you need to subtract bigger numbers?

This is where you use subtraction without regrouping, meaning you won't have to borrow any numbers.

Time to try a subtraction problem!

Imagine an astronaut is traveling in space.

Wow!

The astronaut has 33 snacks and eats 12 of them.

• How many snacks does the astronaut have left?

Here is how to solve this problem.

1. Line up the numbers. The bigger number (33) goes on the top, and the smaller number (12) goes underneath. Make sure the ones and tens line up nicely!

2. Start with the ones place.

• What is 3 - 2?

Easy! It's 1. So, write "1" in the ones place under the line.

3. Next, go to the tens place and subtract.

• What is 3 - 1?

It's 2! Write that in the tens place under the line.

The answer to the problem is 21!

Way to go, math superstar! The astronaut has 21 snacks left.

You did it! You just subtracted two-digit numbers without regrouping. Awesome work!

Now, make sure your answer is correct by checking with addition!

Take the answer from the subtraction problem (21) and add it to the number you subtracted (12).

21 + 12 = ?

It equals 33!

So, your subtraction was correct!

If your answer to the addition problem matches the number on the top of your subtraction problem, you subtracted correctly!

Now, that you can subtract two-digit numbers, watch the video below to practice subtracting with three-digit numbers!

Way to go! You completed the math mission.

Now, fly over to the Got It? section for more math adventures!