Teaching Subtraction: Strategies and Tips for Parents

Subtraction is often considered more challenging than addition, and many children find it tricky to master. Unlike addition, where combining quantities feels intuitive, subtraction requires understanding what it means to take away, find the difference, or count back. Approaching subtraction with clear strategies and plenty of practice helps children build confidence and competence.

Before teaching subtraction procedures, ensure children understand what subtraction means. There are several subtraction structures: taking away (I had 8 sweets, I ate 3, how many are left?), finding the difference (Tom has 7 stickers, Sarah has 4, how many more does Tom have?), and counting back (start at 10, count back 3). Children need experience with all these structures to develop flexible subtraction thinking.

Start with concrete materials. Counters, cubes, or toys allow children to physically remove items and count what remains. This 'taking away' model is usually the easiest to understand first. Once children are confident with physical manipulation, move to pictorial representations where they can cross out items in pictures. Only then introduce abstract number sentences.

Number bonds support subtraction just as they support addition. If children know that 7+3=10 as an automatic fact, they can use this to derive 10-3=7 and 10-7=3. Building [number bond](/worksheets/maths/key-stage-1/number-bonds) fluency to 10 and 20 makes subtraction much easier and reduces reliance on counting back strategies.

Counting back is a common early strategy but has limitations. While it works for small subtractions like 9-2, it becomes error-prone with larger numbers or when the difference is large. Encourage children to move towards using known facts and making connections rather than always counting back.

The 'counting on' or 'finding the difference' strategy is powerful for subtraction. For 12-9, instead of counting back 9 from 12 (which is hard), count on from 9 to 12: that is 3. This strategy connects subtraction to addition and is particularly efficient when the numbers are close together. A number line is an excellent tool for visualising this strategy.

When teaching [subtraction worksheets](/worksheets/maths/key-stage-1/subtraction) to KS1 children, ensure they have a bank of strategies to choose from. Different problems suit different strategies. For 15-14, counting on (or recognising the relationship) is easiest. For 15-2, counting back or using a known fact works well. For 15-8, using number bonds to 10 as a stepping stone (15-5=10, then 10-3=7) might be most efficient.

In Key Stage 2, children learn column subtraction with regrouping (sometimes called decomposition). This method is powerful but requires secure place value understanding. Children need to know that they can exchange 1 ten for 10 ones when there are not enough ones to subtract from. Plenty of practice with concrete manipulatives such as place value counters or Dienes blocks should precede abstract column work.

Common subtraction misconceptions include always subtracting the smaller digit from the larger (so getting 52-38=26 instead of 14) and regrouping errors. If your child makes these mistakes, go back to concrete representations. Physically exchanging a ten for ten ones makes the procedure meaningful rather than just a trick to follow.

Word problems require children to identify that subtraction is needed, which is a skill in itself. Sometimes the word 'take away' or 'subtract' appears, but often children must interpret the situation. Problems involving finding how many more, how many are left, or the difference all require subtraction but use different language. [Reading comprehension skills](/worksheets/english/key-stage-2/reading-comprehension) actually support mathematical word problem solving.

Mental subtraction strategies are important throughout primary school. As well as counting back and counting on, useful strategies include partitioning (56-23 can be solved as 56-20=36, then 36-3=33), near doubles (if 8+8=16, then 16-8=8), and adjusting (50-19 is the same as 50-20+1=31). Children who have multiple strategies can choose the most efficient one for each problem.

Practise subtraction regularly with our [maths worksheets for Key Stage 1](/worksheets/maths/key-stage-1/subtraction) and [Key Stage 2](/worksheets/maths/key-stage-2/subtraction). Short, frequent sessions are more effective than occasional long ones. Always check that children understand why procedures work, not just how to carry them out. Understanding makes procedures memorable and supports transfer to new situations.