Year 1: Taking away and counting back: subtract
Part of the Year 1 adding and subtracting within 10 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Taking away and counting back: subtract
Subtract means take away. The − sign means take away.
Here are 7 balls. Cross out 2 balls, because they are taken away. Now count the balls that are left. There are 5.
Key ideas
- − means take away.
- Start with the whole number, then take away the part that goes.
- Counting back: start at the bigger number and count back one step at a time.
- The answer is the number of things that are left.
Key words. Take away means remove some. The − sign means take away.
Method. Start with all the things. Cross out the ones taken away, then count what is left.
- Start with all the things. Count the whole group first.Start: 6
- Take away (cross out) the ones that go. Taking away means removing some.6 − 2
- Count what is left. Count only the things that are not crossed out.4 left
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Add back what you took away: 4 + 2 = 6. ✓
Watch out. Count only the things that are left. Do not count the crossed-out ones.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 8 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 8
- Count back 3. Each step back is one less than the number before.7, 6, 5
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.5
Check. Count on from 5 to 8: that is 3 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. The − sign means take away. The answer is after the = sign.
Method. Start with the whole. Take away the part that goes. Write the sentence.
- Start with the whole. Count everything at the start.Start: 10
- Take away the part that goes. The − sign means take away.10 − 6
- Count what is left and write the sentence. The answer goes after the = sign.10 − 6 = 4
- Write the answer. 10 − 6 = 4
Check. Add back to check: 4 + 6 = 10. ✓
Watch out. The sign is a minus, not a plus. Taking away makes the number smaller.
Watch out
Watch out: count back from the first number. For 8 − 3, start at 8 and count back 3: 7, 6, 5. Do not start at 3.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use buttons or toy cars. Ask: “You had 6. You gave 2 away. How many are left?” Let your child say the sentence: “Six take away two leaves four.”
Exercise 2B Taking away and counting back
Non-calculatorKey words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 5 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 5
- Count back 2. Each step back is one less than the number before.4, 3
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.3
Check. Count on from 3 to 5: that is 2 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 7 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 7
- Count back 4. Each step back is one less than the number before.6, 5, 4, 3
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.3
Check. Count on from 3 to 7: that is 4 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 10 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 10
- Count back 6. Each step back is one less than the number before.9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.4
Check. Count on from 4 to 10: that is 6 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 9 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 9
- Count back 3. Each step back is one less than the number before.8, 7, 6
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.6
Check. Count on from 6 to 9: that is 3 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 8 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 8
- Count back 5. Each step back is one less than the number before.7, 6, 5, 4, 3
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.3
Check. Count on from 3 to 8: that is 5 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 6 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 6
- Count back 1. Each step back is one less than the number before.5
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.5
Check. Count on from 5 to 6: that is 1 step. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. Take away means remove some. The − sign means take away.
Method. Start with all the things. Cross out the ones taken away, then count what is left.
- Start with all the things. Count the whole group first.Start: 7
- Take away (cross out) the ones that go. Taking away means removing some.7 − 3
- Count what is left. Count only the things that are not crossed out.4 left
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Add back what you took away: 4 + 3 = 7. ✓
Watch out. Count only the things that are left. Do not count the crossed-out ones.
Key words. Take away means remove some. The − sign means take away.
Method. Start with all the things. Cross out the ones taken away, then count what is left.
- Start with all the things. Count the whole group first.Start: 9
- Take away (cross out) the ones that go. Taking away means removing some.9 − 4
- Count what is left. Count only the things that are not crossed out.5 left
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Add back what you took away: 5 + 4 = 9. ✓
Watch out. Count only the things that are left. Do not count the crossed-out ones.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 9 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 9
- Count back 2. Each step back is one less than the number before.8, 7
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.7
Check. Count on from 7 to 9: that is 2 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.
Key words. Take away means remove some. The − sign means take away.
Method. Start with all the things. Cross out the ones taken away, then count what is left.
- Start with all the things. Count the whole group first.Start: 8
- Take away (cross out) the ones that go. Taking away means removing some.8 − 5
- Count what is left. Count only the things that are not crossed out.3 left
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Add back what you took away: 3 + 5 = 8. ✓
Watch out. Count only the things that are left. Do not count the crossed-out ones.
Key words. The − sign means take away. The answer is after the = sign.
Method. Start with the whole. Take away the part that goes. Write the sentence.
- Start with the whole. Count everything at the start.Start: 6
- Take away the part that goes. The − sign means take away.6 − 2
- Count what is left and write the sentence. The answer goes after the = sign.6 − 2 = 4
- Write the answer. 6 − 2 = 4
Check. Add back to check: 4 + 2 = 6. ✓
Watch out. The sign is a minus, not a plus. Taking away makes the number smaller.
Key words. The + sign says add. The − sign says take away. The = sign says makes.
Method. Read the first number, then the sign, then the number after the = sign.
- Read the first number. Say the number word.six
- Read the sign. The sign tells us what to do with the numbers.The sign says take away
- Read the answer after the = sign. The number after the = sign is the answer.five
- Say the whole sentence in words. Put the words together in order.Six take away one leaves five
Check. Also correct: six take away one leaves five. Accept "makes" or "is" after the sign words. ✓
Watch out. Read the sign as words, not as a symbol. The = sign means makes or is.
Key words. To count back is to go down one number at a time.
Method. Start at the bigger number. Count back one at a time. The number you land on is the answer.
- Start at 6 on the number line. Put your finger on the start number.Start: 6
- Count back 4. Each step back is one less than the number before.5, 4, 3, 2
- Write the number you land on. The last number you say is the answer.2
Check. Count on from 2 to 6: that is 4 steps. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the starting number as your first step back.