Subtraction is finding out how many are left when some are taken away. In a story problem, students look for the starting number, the part that is removed, and the number that remains. This skill helps connect real-life events to math thinking.
Listen for action words like “left,” “gave away,” “popped,” or “flew away.” These are strong clues that subtraction is needed.
Using objects such as counters, blocks, or small toys can make subtraction easier to see and understand. Students can act out the problem by starting with a group, removing some, and counting what is left.
Moving objects by hand helps students connect the action in the story to the subtraction they write down.
Drawing simple pictures helps students see subtraction without needing real objects. They can cross out the items that are removed and count the ones that remain.
Keep pictures quick and simple so the focus is on counting, not detailed artwork.
Number lines are a visual way to count backward. Start at the first number, then hop back the number of times being subtracted to find the answer.
Use a large floor number line or a whiteboard number line so students can physically hop backward and see the subtraction process.
Students can check their answers by adding the number taken away to the number left. This sum should match the starting number in the problem.
Checking answers with addition helps students see how subtraction and addition work together.
Sometimes a story has two subtraction steps. Students solve the first subtraction, then use that answer to solve the second. This helps build flexible problem-solving skills.
Encourage students to write each subtraction step separately so they can track their thinking clearly.